The Enemy of My Enemy
by ilmiopassato
Summary: Sequel. As Colonel Natalie Cooper returns to Mars for a hearing that could decide the fate of her career, after a harrowing deployment to Puget, extraterrestrial and rebel forces conspire to bring the entire UNSC into a new, multi-front war - centered on the Elites' homeworld of Sanghelios.
1. Intro: A Coming Storm

Author's Note: And so, a new saga begins...

Welcome to all readers, old and new. A couple things before I start.

Necessary disclaimers:

1) I DO NOT OWN Halo, the franchise/the books/the games/other media. I'm just writing a story based off this universe. And, like with the previous installments in the series, times/dates/settings may be slightly AU.

2) Also like its predecessors, this story is rated T but tends to toe the line with M for language, violence, blood, gore, and some suggestive/sexual content (not graphic). You have been warned.

3) While it is not strictly necessary to read the other Cooper stories to understand this one, it is **highly** recommended. The fics in this series have built off one another and you'll miss a lot of the character development/story progression if you choose to start here. If you're not sure what order the stories go in, they are numbered in chronological order on my profile page.

Thanks a bunch for reading! Hope you enjoy Book 8. :)

* * *

 **Intro: A Coming Storm**

WARNING! TOP SECRET! EYES ONLY!

SCANNING IN PROGRESS…

…CLEARANCE GRANTED

/TO: Colonel Natalie M. Cooper, Commanding Officer 52nd Combat Regiment, 1st Marine Division, UNSC Marine Corps - **REVOKED, STATUS PENDING**

FROM: Major General Aiden Bolowsky, Commander of Planetary Ground Forces, Desmond, Regent State, Mars. Charter Territory, UNSC Marine Corps

SUBJECT: FILE ENCRYPTED

MESSAGE:

Colonel Cooper,

Pertaining to the ongoing investigation into your alleged violation of Article 134, a preliminary hearing date has been set for 14 May 2561. You are to arrive in your Class A uniform and with any legal representation you have been assigned from the JAG office. You are to present yourself at 0800 hours sharp.

Good luck to you,

Major General Aiden Bolowsky, PGF Commander

/END MESSAGE/


	2. Chapter 1: State of Things

**Chapter One: State of Things**

 **1800 Hours, May 9, 2561. UNSC Chariot Naval Air Base, Desmond, Regent State, Planet Mars. Inner Colonies. Prologue to** **the Enemy of My Enemy**

I was never one to wait around for something to happen. I _made_ things happen.

It's what made me good at my job. It's why I'd earned a battlefield promotion to lieutenant colonel at thirty, and became a full colonel just three years later. Now, though, having recently turned thirty-four, I wasn't so sure anymore what I'd be in the coming weeks. Maybe nothing at all.

Why?

Because three months ago, I'd had my command taken from me, and I now awaited news on whether or not my place as an O-6, as CO of my regiment, was ever going to be given back. Technically, my whole career in the Corps was on the line.

So in the meantime, I couldn't just sit still. I had to do _something_ , even if my hands were currently tied in terms of dealing with my former charge, the Marines of the 52nd Combat Regiment. Until this investigation was over, my professional life was effectively on hold.

But that didn't mean _I_ had to be.

I'd had enough downtime lately to last a lifetime, and while that had been welcome at first after what had quickly become the hardest deployment of my life - to the Outer Colony world of Puget, a cold, unforgiving block of ice full of Prometheans and rebels - it had eventually become too much. I'd had so much of my world shattered there - what with my time as a prisoner of the rebs, a split with my husband of nearly fourteen years, and setback after setback mission-wise, all of it culminating in a shocking accusation that could go either way. Along with all that, I was suddenly alone and had too much time to think, and so I hadn't had a happy voyage back to my home planet.

Everything was new to me now. It was the first time I'd been without Willis since I was seventeen. Sure, we'd gone through deployments separately before - even long ones, spanning months and years - but this was different. There was no reunion to look forward to, no reconciliation in sight. It was painful and lonely, and I was still having to come to terms with that, too.

Tomorrow would make everything official on that front - my estranged husband and I were going to finally meet to discuss the terms of our separation. A separation which was, at least in part, tied to the reason I was being investigated under Article 134 in the first place: I'd cheated.

Not physically. Nothing beyond a one-time reciprocated kiss in a moment I'd felt most vulnerable, after my internment and the death of a friend and an unexpectedly cold and hostile reception from Willis via COM. But those were just excuses, and I knew that. The truth was I should have never gotten close to Ethan - my ex, who'd rescued me from the rebel facility - in the first place. I'd brought this on myself. It was on me.

And now I had to face the consequences. Not only in my marriage, but in my career as well.

The reason for my eventual split from Willis had been two-fold, though - we had both contributed to that, as his lack of support and understanding after what I'd endured had made me angry and distrustful, while my momentary indiscretion with Ethan had made him turn away. That, we'd fucked up together, and though the purpose of our separation - rather than divorce - was to see if we could bridge that gap again, heal those wounds, I wasn't so sure what the outcome was going to be.

So, yeah. I had a lot going on lately, and nothing to do, and too much time to think. So I decided to go to the firing range on base - as a form of distraction and therapy.

I walked in dressed in my civvies - boots, dark gray pants, a white vee-neck shirt, and a dark red jacket - rather than my uniform, and signed in with the staff sergeant near the armory. Then I picked out a pair of sound-dampening ear muffs, ballistic glasses, and a magnum pistol; grabbed a couple of mags; and went into the firing area.

"Colonel Cooper!"

I turned around to come face-to-face with Navy Lieutenant Caleb Lloyd, one of my good friends - and a spook. I gave him a small smile.

"Hey, Cal," I said, walking over with the unloaded pistol in one hand and a mag in the other, with my ear protection hanging around my neck. "How's it going?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Good. Although I know why you're asking me. You know I'm not supposed to divulge any - "

I waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Can't tell me about my own regiment."

He stood staring at me for a moment. Slowly, a sly grin started to form on his face. "Not officially, ma'am, no." Turning his attention away from me, he continued, "I'm not _supposed_ to tell you that we finally got a new replacement in for Major Harris."

Lloyd walked over to one of the firing sections as he said that, and I settled in in the lane beside his.

"Yeah? Who's that?"

"A Major John Murphy, goes by Jack. I did a little background digging on him. He's a former ODST, which is a little unusual. Apparently suffered some kind of accident a while back that made him no longer eligible for orbital drops. But he's still qualified for regular grunt work, so they sent him over to us."

I nodded. "Might be difficult to deal with. Still sounds great, though. Clearly he's got experience, which we need."

"Yes, ma'am. Should be good having him take over for Captain Norfolk."

"It'll definitely be nice having a full roster of battalion commanders again." I finally slapped the mag inside the pistol, cocked it, and aimed it at the first target - just a paper one, to start. "I have to hand it to Darren. He did a pretty decent job. Just think he could use a little more time under his belt before he moves up permanently."

"Yes, Colonel. Murphy seems like he'll do well mentoring him."

I lowered my gun and glanced over at my friend. "You've met him?"

"Not in person. But as you know, my homework is more thorough than most."

"Of course."

I put my ear muffs on then and popped off a few shots in quick succession, driving neat holes into the paper target's head. It didn't surprise me that I felt a spike of adrenaline as I did so - the anger was still there, underneath the surface. Not only for what I'd endured during my time as a prisoner, and on deployment, but for the state of my marriage now, too.

And the ever-present sharp pain of not having my family whole.

I paused to reload. Then, keeping the gun down, I pulled off the ear muffs and said, "Anything else? How's your wife been taking all this?"

Something in his expression changed. "Oh, you know. She's fine and doesn't complain. It's a lot for her to take on the top position in your absence, for sure, but she's good at what she does." He gave me a sideways glance, almost nervous. "There's...other news, though."

"Well, let's hear it."

His slight grin grew wider as he turned to face me. "We hope to have you back soon, Colonel, so someone else doesn't come in from outside to take over."

"What? Why?"

"Dani's pregnant."

I stopped in the middle of messing with the pistol's sight, smiling a little myself now. Trying to keep the hurt at bay, for my friend. "Wow. Congratulations. Your very own kid, huh? How's Alexis taking it?"

"She's excited to be a big sister. She's the only other person we've told so far."

"Guess I'm honored, then. Thanks."

I knew his stepdaughter loved Caleb like a father, even called him dad. It would likely be a big adjustment, seeing as she'd been an only child up to now. But I could see this bonding his family even closer, and I was genuinely happy for him.

Something must have shown on my face, however, because when I turned back, his smile waned.

"I didn't even ask - what's going on with you? No change yet with Major Hawk?"

"Nope. Not yet," I answered solemnly. "On top of that, it's his turn with the kids today, so it's just been...kind of miserable." I let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I really am happy for you guys. Although you know this puts the regiment in a bind, given my circumstances."

"I know. Plus she's only just recovered from that bad hit she took on Puget." He looked at me then, setting his own weapon down. "But what can I say? We're home, and we've finally fully settled into married life, and...I thought about what you said to me, about being a parent to a kid who's wholly my own." He shook his head. "I love Alexis, and to me, she's my daughter. Always will be. But I guess after what happened to us, getting captured, and thinking we might die in there...I didn't want to lose my chance."

"I get that."

I understood only too well - it was a fact only the two of us shared, a horror we'd experienced together. We'd been good friends before that, but our bond now was special, deeper. I considered him my brother, and after he'd been the only one to see me through a very tough time with Willis on Puget, where I'd been a mess and could see no way out, I knew the feeling was mutual. Cal would always have my back.

"I also remember what you told me," I said then. "When I...was feeling like there was nothing else left in the world. That we had to go through that process of breaking down in order to come out better on the other side." I chuckled, but it was without humor. "To be honest, I feel a little like I'm going through that again now." I took in a deep breath. "This hearing...it can make or break my career, Cal."

"I know."

"I didn't even...shit. It was one kiss. A moment I wish I could just...go back and fucking erase."

"But life doesn't work that way."

I snorted. "No. It sure doesn't."

He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cooper."

"It's fine. I made my bed, and now I'll lie in it."

I picked up my pistol again and pulled the fresh mag out, no longer interested in shooting rounds at fake targets. Something I'd thought might be a fun way to ease some tension just...didn't seem worthwhile anymore. "Anyway, I think I'm done for the night. Congratulate your wife for me, okay?"

"Will do, Colonel."

I forced myself to put on a smile. "And enjoy this. It'll all be over before you know it, and Alexis and that kid'll be grown."

He smiled back. "So I've heard. Take care, ma'am."

* * *

As was the case for the past month since returning from the Outer Colonies, I didn't get to go home tonight. I never did anymore. I'd let Willis stay in the house we'd been in before we'd left, just to keep things familiar for our brood. As for me, I was in an apartment off-base now, by myself, except for when I had the kids. It was smaller than the main house, with three bedrooms - one for myself, one for the twins, and one that Gabriel technically shared with Logan, although my youngest son more often slept with me. He supplied me with my weekly dose of cuddles, and it was a time I truly looked forward to. At nearly eleven, Gabriel was beginning to get too embarrassed by the affection, and the twins, now seven, didn't seek as much anymore, either.

Little Logan was close to two now, though, in just a couple more weeks. I could hardly believe it. My baby boy was a baby no longer.

With that bittersweet realization, I walked in the door and sat on the couch after flipping on the lights. Even after a month here, I still marveled at the quiet. Whether in combat or at home, there'd always been the sounds of...something going on. Weapons fire and explosions, or the chaos of a four-children household. Now it felt...empty. Like a life not being lived.

After a time I shook off the somber thoughts and activated the holoscreen in the room. I wasn't really interested in watching it; I just needed some noise in the background so I didn't get lost in my head.

But it was as I was staring at the screen that I felt the crushing loneliness again. I missed my kids. I missed my husband.

This sucked.

I realized then that I couldn't go on like this. I'd spent most of my life with _someone_ \- I didn't really know how to live on my own. I needed a companion.

That's when it hit me, and I smiled a little at the thought.

Tomorrow, I was going to get a dog.


	3. Chapter 2: One Life, Now Two

**Chapter Two: One Life, Now Two**

I went for a run in the morning just before the sun made its way over the horizon. It was a daily habit of mine, partly to clear my head, and partly to keep fit. Maybe a few days from now it wouldn't matter; maybe I wasn't even going to be a Marine anymore after this.

The thought was unimaginable to me, as the Corps had quite literally been my life thus far. If they found me guilty, a dishonorable discharge was a distinct possibility. More likely, though, I figured I'd be looking at a demotion to lieutenant colonel or even major, and maybe a reassignment or a form of professional purgatory at a desk job for the rest of my days. If that happened, I was done as soon as my contract was up - I couldn't live that way and still wear the uniform.

Too many unsavory possibilities awaited me. Of course I worried, and the nervousness and anxiety about what might happen was always in the back of my mind. But I never let it get to the forefront, and I never let the thoughts take over. Wringing my hands about it all wasn't going to help, and it wouldn't change the outcome, whatever that might be. So, it was best to let go, and try to keep myself as healthy and as up on my training as I could, just on the off-chance things actually worked out.

That almost made me chuckle.

I went for six miles this morning instead of my usual eight, as I had to get ready to meet with Willis and our respective attorneys later. Lawyers were sure getting a lot of work out of my family lately.

Dripping in sweat, I finished the run with the sun now gently warming the ground. Rather than take a route through the base, as I often did, and stop at the track for calisthenics, I'd instead run through the city suburbs, coming to a halt at one of the many small parks in the neighborhood. I recognized it because I brought my kids here on occasion. It gave them a place to release their pent-up energy when they were with me, and made them smile for a while rather than brood over their father and I's breakup.

I knew this was harder on them than me - even though the pain was unfathomable. I still loved Willis, and it hadn't been easy to admit we needed this time apart. But to my kids, the rug had been pulled out from under them unexpectedly when we got home, and their whole world had been torn apart. All they'd ever known was me and Willis together, and their parents being in love.

We still were, but it was different, broken somehow, and I truly hoped this separation would fix it. But nothing was certain, and an equally likely scenario was that this was just a pit-stop on the way to divorce - that that fracture would never become whole again. So, to not get their hopes up, Willis and I had both decided it was best to treat this as the full break that it was, and not lead them on that we'd get back together someday.

I paused in the sunlight to take a drink of water from the bottle strapped to my hip, then sat down in the grass for a moment. After a five-minute break, it was on to a series of sit-ups and push-ups, and then I made my way over to the pull-up bar in the corner, adjacent to the kids' play area.

Twenty minutes and many reps later, I was spent, but feeling great. The high from the endorphins was nice.

But I knew that unfortunately, it wouldn't carry over into the rest of the day's activities.

* * *

Once I got home, I immediately stripped off my PT clothes and jumped in the shower. After that I pulled on fresh underclothes and socks, and started to put on my battledress uniform. It was nice to wear it again, as I was currently on paid administrative leave at half pay until my hearing. A vacation from my usual job on base, in other words...but not a welcome one.

I put my shoulder-length brown hair up in a bun per regulations, and then sat down again to pull on my combat boots - different from the civilian ones I'd worn to the range last night. Once I was satisfied in my appearance, I collected my keys and my datapad, and walked out the door.

I took a transport to the meeting place, as the law office I was headed to was downtown, and not easily reached on foot from here. I arrived with fifteen minutes to spare, so I ducked into a nearby café for a quick coffee.

Afterward I checked my watch. Just five minutes left. I proceeded into the main lobby of the large building. The outside was imposing, with several stories of reflective glass - more conspicuous and self-important looking than the usual nondescript buildings on base. Inside, it was even more impressive, with a giant seal in gold on the white, glossy stone floor reading, "The Law Offices of O'Marty, LeMar, and Tellerman" as you walked in. I was definitely not in Kansas anymore.

"Rethinking your occupation, Colonel? You seem a little star-struck."

I turned at the sound of the voice to see my lawyer. She was petite and dressed in a smart white business suit with a dark blue blouse and matching dark blue pumps. It reminded me a little of my older brother Mark's Navy dress whites. She had short black hair and shining eyes, bright with excitement, and looked to be a good ten years younger than me.

New and inexperienced, in other words.

I gave her a tight smile. "No. Too cushy and fancy for my tastes, I'm afraid."

She giggled. Actually _giggled_. "That's okay! You'll get used to it, ma'am." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Cindy Tellerman, junior attorney here. You must be Natalie Cooper."

"Yes," I answered flatly. I felt like I had to do something to counteract her buoyancy. "You do know we're meeting for my separation, right? Like from my marriage?"

"Oh, yes! Fourteen years this June, right? That's impressive! Especially considering you both survived the War."

"Right, but we're not together anymore..."

"We'll get the details down later. Let's get upstairs. The meeting's about to begin."

I had no choice but to follow her up.

We took the elevator and not surprisingly, it was made of transparent glass, with a view of the lobby as you virtually floated up. It came to a gentle halt at the fifth floor, and we stepped off.

"Right this way, Colonel," the woman said brightly. "We'll be holding this in the conference room down on the end. It's a corner office space. Great view!"

 _Yes,_ I thought to myself. _I'm taking the first step to potentially dissolving my marriage, and I'm oh so worried about the_ view _we'll have._

Tellerman walked into the room first after going down the narrow corridor. When I came in behind her, I saw Willis sitting in his own battledress uniform on the other side of a large table - with an older male lawyer at his side.

My breath caught. I hadn't seen Willis face-to-face since Puget. Once we'd loaded up on our ship to come home, we'd had separate quarters on separate decks, and no real reason to see each other in person. In fact, I felt it'd been part of the process not to. We'd corresponded via text when necessary - mostly as we got closer to getting home, as we thought about what we'd say to the kids, how we'd go about deciding on living arrangements, and the like. Since then, I'd always gone to pick up the kids at his parents' house on my days. That had been awkward at first, but we'd reasoned earlier that not seeing each other for a while would give us more space and some time to reflect.

But seeing him here, now, and knowing what we were here for...the emotions resurfaced all at once, and it was all I could do to take in a deep, calming breath to swallow them down.

"Ms. Tellerman," Willis's attorney nodded to her as she sat.

"Mr. Goldberg," she returned.

I sat down next to her, right across from Willis, and our eyes met. His expression was serious, and just as quickly as we looked at one another, he turned away.

"Shall we begin?" Goldberg asked, and Tellerman nodded, surprisingly more composed now.

"Let's."

"All right. Well, we've got quite a bit to get through here...but this doesn't look nearly as complicated as some couples. Only one property to divvy up, a joint checking and savings account, some investments, and a custody agreement for four children." He glanced up from skimming the file on his datapad. "That sound correct?"

"Yes."

Goldberg nodded. "Okay. We'll start with my client's list of demands, then. With regards to the shared property - a five-bedroom, four-bath, two-story family home in Desmond - Major Hawk would like - "

"Let him have it," I said, and the whole table instantly fell silent. Tellerman looked at me with barely concealed shock.

"Ma'am, you realize you're forfeiting your rights to all ownership of the property, including any profits in a sale of the home which you co-own, and have invested considerable - "

"I know what I'm doing. He can have the house." I looked over at Goldberg and Willis in turn. "It was supposed to be our forever home for our kids, a place to set down some roots for them on our home planet after years of moving around. I'm not interested in it being sold, nor any money I'd make from its sale. It's his."

Tellerman seemed reluctant to let it go, while on the other side, Goldberg coughed.

"All right, then. Moving on...as to the liquid assets shared by the couple, in the event of a dissolution of marriage, Major Hawk would like to suggest they be divided in half. Is that agreeable to your client, Ms. Tellerman?"

I nodded, and she said, "Yes."

"Very well." Goldberg glanced at Willis for a moment, with a look of surprise over how quickly this was going. "With that, we're at our last but certainly most important consideration. Major Hawk would like to establish joint custody of their four children - Gabriel, Liam, Olivia, and Logan Hawk. He would like both legal and physical custody to be shared equally with the colonel."

Again I nodded, and Tellerman affirmed my decision to her colleague.

"Have you come up with a schedule?" she asked me and Willis then, and we finally looked at each other again.

Willis cleared his throat before facing me. "What if we keep it the same as now?"

"Alternating days?" I asked, and shook my head. "No. It may have worked out recently, but that's not a long-term plan. It's too disruptive. They need more stability." _Especially if their father and I don't get back together,_ I thought.

"Okay. Alternating weeks, then?"

"No. It's too long to go without the kids. I'd want to see them more often, as I'm sure you do, too."

Willis threw his hands up in mild frustration. "Fine. Then you tell me, Cooper."

I swallowed hard again at his tone. Apparently the time apart had not endeared ourselves to one another.

Maybe we'd been wrong about that. Maybe it'd just made old wounds fester, rather than make us miss each other.

I thought for a while before I finally said, "I don't know, Will. I don't really have a better solution. I guess I just - "

"I'm going to butt in here, guys," Tellerman said, and once again surprised me with her professional tone. "I've seen something similar with many couples I've worked with in the past. They want 50-50 custody, but can't agree on how to split up that time. Everyone wants more time with their kids, am I right?"

I sat there listening, wondering how she could possibly know what it felt like to be separated from her children when she'd never had to go through what we had. I'd had to do it over and over again on deployment, as had Willis; when we got home, all we wanted was to see our kids. To have that taken away once we were safely back in garrison, too, was monumental to both of us. Splitting the short time we already had had been...unfathomable at first, and was still very difficult to do now.

But I supposed that somehow, an accord had to be reached.

Tellerman didn't wait for an answer. "Here's what I've seen proposed, and take what you will from it. There's almost an infinite number of combinations of schedules you can use, but what it sounds like you two may want to consider is trading off every three days, rather than every day, or every week. Perfect in-between, yeah?"

"That still leaves one day a week," Willis noted, but Tellerman had an answer for that as well.

"Correct, Major. Each week, say in the middle, you'll have one night where the other spouse gets the children. You alternate weeks for this extra day. How's that sound?"

"It's...a little complicated," I said, glancing down at the table. Then I lifted my head again. "But it could work."

Tellerman looked to Willis then. "Major Hawk?"

"I guess that's the best answer. Thank you for suggesting it." He looked over at me. "I'm in."

"Okay. Let's do it."

"Great," Tellerman replied, practically beaming. "Then I assume our meeting here is concluded?"

Goldberg held up a hand. "Give us a moment, please."

Tellerman nodded, and Willis and his attorney turned their backs to us. We did the same, out of courtesy.

"This has been _so_ easy!" she said to me in a low voice. "Whatever made you two separate, you'll sure have a quick and very amicable divorce!"

 _Wonderful,_ I thought to myself. _I'm sure there'll be no feelings involved at all, or hurt children._

Goldberg gestured to us when they were ready, and he straightened in his chair.

"Right. So there's one more issue my client would like to touch on," he said. "Given the considerable upkeep of your sizable property for your four children, and Colonel Cooper's notably higher income relative to the major's...Major Hawk would also like to request spousal support."

"How much?" Tellerman asked.

Goldberg wrote down a number on a notepad, then slid it across the table for my attorney and I to see. Tellerman raised an eyebrow, then looked at Goldberg again.

"Monthly?"

"Yes."

She glanced at me then, and I released a sigh. After my hearing, I might not even have much of an income anymore to give. Or even any at all. I'd already had my pay halved at the moment, and was renting out a three-bedroom apartment on my own. Money, for the foreseeable future, would likely be tight, despite the considerable sum I made under normal circumstances. But so long as things remained the same, it wasn't something that was out of reach, or unreasonable.

"You can have it," I said, and I looked right at Willis.

Beside him, Goldberg practically glowed. "Excellent. This has been very productive. Thank you both for your speed and ease in settling this matter." He placed his datapad on the table. "This is your agreement. We just need your signatures, and your separation is binding and legal, as are the conditions you have agreed to here today. Should you decide to file for divorce in the future, everything will already be in place, and it'll be quick and painless."

 _Quick and painless,_ I thought, as Willis was the first to sign the document. Then he passed it over to me, and I signed.

It's not how I would have described the end of my family, and the great love of my life.


	4. Chapter 3: New Horizons

**Chapter Three: New Horizons**

"Natalie!"

I'd just made it outside the office building when I heard my name and turned back. It was Willis.

He was looking a bit thinner than when I'd seen him last two months ago. His golden brown hair was closely shaved along the sides of his head but longer on top - more so than the typical Marine haircut, but still within regulations. His face was smooth, and his hazel eyes looked...weary. His wedding ring was still absent from his finger as well, as it had been on both our parts for a few months now.

Emotion swelled inside me. A lot had changed, and dammit if he wasn't the exact picture of just how much it had.

Yet again I swallowed down the feelings while I stood there and waited for him to walk up to me. I wasn't sure how prepared I was for this reunion, or what to expect. Certainly things inside the meeting had been...cordial and frosty. But that was business - a sad one. This was just us. Natural.

He stopped in front of me, giving me more space than he normally would have, and flashed a shadow of a smile - a little quirk of the lips that was gone as soon as it had appeared on his face. "Hey."

"Hey," I returned softly.

"How's...everything? It's been a while."

I shrugged. "You know, busy." Then I snorted. "Or I guess it's supposed to be. I've had a little too much time on my hands lately."

"The hearing?"

I nodded. "Coming up in a few days. They put me on leave until then. I don't know if you heard."

"I did." His expression softened. "I'm sorry. That must be...difficult."

"It is what it is. No going back now."

He took in a deep breath. "You didn't have to give up the house, you know."

"It's not for me. It was for us and the kids." I let out a sigh. "If I'd insisted on it, they would've wanted us to sell it and split the profits down the middle to do it fairly. I don't want that. They've had enough turmoil lately to lose their home, too."

"I hope you know I didn't ask for the extra money for me. I just couldn't afford that place on my own."

"I know. No hard feelings."

He swallowed then. "It's good to see you, Coop."

"You, too, Will."

"Maybe we can...I mean, if you have some time..."

I glanced down at my boots for a moment. "I've got some errands I need to run today. Later in the week?"

"Sure." He hesitated, then said, "The kids are with my parents right now. Should I tell them to expect you, or did you want to start now with the new arrangement?"

"We can start now if you want," I said, although it would hurt deeply not to see them. "Two more days?"

"Yeah." He paused again. "I'd like to bring them over to your place myself this time, if that's okay."

"That'll be fine."

"Good. We'll see you then. Take care, Cooper."

"You, too."

It was all I could do to remain silently in place as he walked away. I didn't know how it was for him, but I missed him often. It was painful to watch him leave again.

I just wasn't sure how all of this was going to end up for me. And if I ever stopped to think about it for too long, I found the idea frightening.

* * *

Now more than ever I knew getting a four-legged companion was a needed solution to...at least some of my many problems. So that's where I went to next, since I was already downtown anyway.

"Lori's Pet Shop!" had a brighter sign than what I was feeling inside at the moment, having just seen my estranged husband for the first time in several weeks, and being reminded of how much emotional baggage remained between us. I needed a pick-me-up, and so maybe this was exactly the right time to be doing this.

I stood outside the shop for a bit, looking at some of the animals they had in the window. Mostly reptiles, birds, and fish on one side, and smaller pets like hamsters and gerbils and rabbits on the other. Everything looked either too cheery or too cold. It solidified my choice in getting a dog over anything else, and I finally felt prepared to walk in.

The pet shop employee behind the counter was a young high school kid, but he seemed attentive enough. He glanced up when I came in, noted the uniform, and said, "Hi, ma'am. How may I help you?"

"I'm looking to get a pet," I said. "Specifically a dog."

"Well...we've got lots in the back. I'll show you."

He came out from behind the counter, and I followed him through aisles of pet supplies and various holding tanks and toys.

"We keep all our most popular pets over here," he explained. "The cages are too big to fit up front, and we've got a space in the middle where you can sit with any animal you like and have them get to know you a bit before you decide. Cats are on the left of the play space, dogs on the right." He stopped and looked at me then. "Are you looking for a particular breed, or..."

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. What do your customers usually go for?"

He chuckled. "Well, ma'am, that very much depends on taste. Do you like big dogs, or small dogs?"

"Big."

"Okay. Do you have a large yard? As you probably know, big dogs won't do well in small places."

"Yes." I didn't have my own yard at the apartment, unlike the main house that was now no longer mine, but there was a fairly large communal space that should be appropriate enough for a pet - and plenty of parks around besides.

"Great. Our selection is a bit limited due to size, but I think maybe you'll find one of these guys or gals to your liking. We've got eight on hand right now - a Great Dane, a couple of German shepherds, three Labradors, a golden retriever, and a rottweiler." He glanced at me again. "You have kids?"

"Yes, four."

"Hmm. You'll want something more docile, then. Labs and retrievers are good family dogs. German shepherd if you want one that can double as a guard dog, too."

We went up to the cages on the right, and he introduced me to the dogs one by one. "This is Susan, the Great Dane. Jackie, the golden retriever. Hatchet, the rottweiler. The two yellow labs are Gordon and Musket. The German shepherds are Wolf and Ulysses. And then finally, we have our chocolate lab, Chief."

At that I grinned. "Chief, huh?"

I walked up to the cage to look at him. He was a beautiful dog; his dark brown coat was shiny, his same-colored eyes kind, and he looked healthy and trim. "Sounds like we have a lot in common, buddy," I said to him. "I'm the leader of my pack, too."

The young pet shop employee smiled. "Chief's a good dog. We just got him in a week ago. Family that adopted him wasn't able to keep him anymore, so they brought him over to us to help find him a new home. He's two years old - still young, but over that difficult puppy stage, and he's been trained and fixed." He turned back to me. "Do you want me to get him out for you?"

"Please."

Chief was released from his cage in a moment, and he immediately went crazy, bounding over to me in one big leap and hopping up on my chest with his front paws, eagerly wagging his tail. I knelt down closer and he licked my face and barked a happy yelp, and that's when I knew it was him.

I was already smiling a lot more than I ever had since getting back from Puget, and the hideousness of humans I'd experienced there. It'd be nice to have an animal friend now instead - someone I could really rely on and love, and who could perhaps help both me and my kids to heal from what we'd all gone through lately. I gave Chief a tentative hug, which he seemed very receptive to, as he barked happily again and wagged his tail even faster.

The employee was beaming now, too. "Looks like you found your friend, ma'am."

I laughed for the first time in ages, feeling pretty content at the moment as well. "Yup. Looks like I did."

"Let's get you two some supplies," he said then. "You're going to need a collar, a leash, some dog food, a bed, a water and food bowl, some toys, anti-flea medication..."

I could already tell I was in for a big expense with my new buddy. But I knew it was going to be worth it.

Especially with what awaited me in just four more days.


	5. Chapter 4: Hot Water

**Chapter Four: Hot Water**

 **0934 Hours, May 12, 2561. Near UNSC Chariot Naval Air Base, Desmond, Regent State, Planet Mars. Inner Colonies. Prologue to** **the Enemy of My Enemy**

The past couple days had been interesting. I was starting to learn more about Chief, and being a dog owner, and he was learning more about me, too. He kept me company and busy during the day, taking him out for runs in the morning, walks in the afternoon and evenings after dinner, and caring for him and playing with him in between. We spent a lot of time out on the grass, or even just inside on the couch together. I'd bought him two cushy dog beds - one for the living room, and one for my bedroom, although he was already getting into the habit of sleeping at the foot of _my_ bed. It was going to be exciting for the kids when Willis dropped them off today, and I was especially curious to see what Logan was going to think of our new roommate.

But that wouldn't happen until later. In the meantime, I went running with Chief by my side this time, on his leash, then stopped by the park again afterward. Chief laid down in the grass, his big, wet tongue out as he panted from the exercise. I ran some water from a nearby public spigot and he lapped it up happily as I drank from my bottle. Then I got to work on my usual reps, and he stayed close behind.

When I was finally done I sat down on the grass with him and pet his head, then scratched him behind his ears. He put his head in my lap and closed his eyes, content. I was just about to walk us home when I felt my datapad buzz in my pocket. I reached over to pull it out and read the message, frowning.

It was from Gabe's school. He was in the principal's office, and it requested that both Willis and I present ourselves for a meeting with him and our oldest son later this morning.

That wasn't good.

"Well, Chief," I said to him, giving him one last pat on the head. "Looks like my kid is in trouble. We're going to have to go home and see what's going on."

* * *

After I showered and dressed in my civvies - a simple T-shirt and jeans, given the warm weather - I poured out some food and fresh water for Chief, then promised him I'd be back soon. This was going to be his first experience home alone, but I figured I shouldn't be gone more than an hour. He'd be okay.

In the meantime, depending on what my son had done, _he_ wouldn't. If he was in trouble at school he'd be in trouble at home, and I was already brainstorming what form of discipline he might receive as I made my way over. His twin siblings, Liam and Olivia, were also at the same school, while Logan was in daycare whenever Willis had the kids during the week.

The elementary school was right near the base, and I pulled into the parking lot with a few minutes to spare before the meeting. Willis pulled up behind me. I put on my sunglasses against the bright, late-morning rays and decided to wait for him.

"Any idea what this is about?" he asked, and I shrugged in response.

"I just got a message to come."

Willis sighed. "Yeah, me, too. Let's go in."

We went to the school's main office together, got visitor badges, and then made our way to the principal's office. Gabriel was still sitting there, looking upset and bored out of his mind.

"Thank you for coming in," Principal Gupta said. He stood to shake both our hands, adjusted his tie, then gestured to the two cushioned seats in front of him. In contrast, Gabe sat in a hard plastic chair in a corner of the room, closer to the door. The principal indicated he should move up now.

"Gabriel, if you will. Come join your parents, please."

"Fine," my oldest grumbled, and got up to scoot his chair between ours.

Gupta brought his hands together in front of him and began. "I'm sorry to call you two in on such short notice. But your son has had...numerous incidents this week, and today things got particularly bad." He looked to Gabe now. "Tell them what happened, son."

Gabriel folded his arms across his chest and slumped in his seat in a show of defiance, but answered as he'd been told. "I punched Eddie today."

"You _what?_ " Willis nearly shouted.

"Gabe, why did you do that? Why would you hit your friend?" I asked, still firm but a bit more gently.

Our son's lower lip quivered, but he said nothing.

"Given his recent behavior, I'd like to ask...is there anything going on at home?" Gupta questioned. "All of this appears to be new, as he's always been a good student before now. No other disciplinary marks are in his chart."

At that Willis and I fell silent, and we quickly glanced at one another.

"His mother and I are currently separated," Willis answered.

"But that's been the case since we came home from deployment a couple months ago," I added. "I don't see why - "

Principal Gupta smiled patiently. "Ah. This is actually quite common. When things change so drastically and suddenly at home, the child acts out. It's...an adjustment, so sometimes it doesn't manifest itself right away."

"So what can we do?" I asked.

"I might consider counseling for him here at school, if you feel he needs it. He may be feeling sad or angry or confused, which is often the case in these situations, and they can help him navigate that. If you're so inclined, you may also wish to do family counseling, so everyone can benefit."

"What about Liam and Olivia?" Willis asked. "Any problems with them?"

Gupta shook his head. "None so far, no. But now that I realize what's going on, I'll have their teacher keep an eye out." He finally turned to Gabriel again. "As for you, young man, you are suspended for the remainder of the week. We do not tolerate physical harm against others, no matter the reason." Then he looked at me and Willis in turn. "I imagine there will be appropriate action taken at home, as well."

"You can count on it, sir," I said, giving my son a look. "Thank you for your time, and I apologize on Gabriel's behalf."

Gupta nodded, but Willis stood and made his way over to our son.

"No. It's up to him to make this right. Gabriel, _you_ apologize to your principal. And when you get back, to Eddie, too."

Gabriel still seemed upset, but glanced up and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Gupta."

"Thank you, Gabe. Be well, and see you Monday."

* * *

The walk back out to our cars was an unpleasant one, and I figured my son must be feeling more and more anxious the longer his father and I didn't speak. We finally stopped in the shade of a tree just before the parking lot, and Willis let out a long sigh, composing himself. Then he took our son gently by the shoulders.

"Gabriel," he said in a level voice, "Tell me and Mom exactly what happened today."

I folded my arms across my chest. " _And_ what's been going on the rest of this week. The principal said you got into trouble before now, too."

Again I saw his lip quiver, and he answered, "I don't know."

"Try, Gabe," I said.

At that he sniffled, his green eyes welling up with tears. "I've just been...mad. And sad. And I...I don't want to live in two houses! I don't want you guys broken up! I just want to go home, and I want Mom to come home!"

My heart broke with each of his words. I was again reminded that I'd caused this - that me and Willis had attributed to this together, and that our children were hurting for it. It made me feel like absolute shit. But it was what it was, and now we'd have to help them transition.

I leaned down to give him a hug, and Gabriel began to cry into my shoulder. Willis moved closer to rub his back.

"Gabriel, I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry things are like this, and I'm sorry this is hurting you. But know that even if we're not together, your father and I still love you, and your brothers and your sister, more than anything in the whole world. That will never, ever, _ever_ change, okay? Your dad and I splitting up is _not_ your fault."

"Okay," he sobbed.

"And I know things are...very hard right now. But that doesn't ever give you the right to hit someone else, got it? That is not acceptable."

He sniffled and nodded his head, his face still in my shoulder.

"Your mother's right, Gabriel," Willis said. "Hitting someone and getting suspended from school is a very big deal. You're getting grounded at home, too. No friends, no toys, no datapad, for three weeks."

Gabriel was still crying, but he nodded again.

"Now come on. We'll see each other later today, okay? Your dad's going to take you to daycare now with your little brother until he's done at work."

"Okay."

I gave him another tight hug, then released him so Willis could, too. I followed them to Willis's car, until our oldest son was safely in the backseat. Willis shut the car door, then turned to face me.

"We've got a lot of this coming our way now," he said sadly. "Better brace yourself."

"I know. But they still know right from wrong, Will. If he's been acting up in class, _and_ hit his friend, he needs to be punished for that."

"I agree. But it's not totally his fault. He's just...heartbroken by all of this."

"We all are."

Willis quirked an eyebrow at me when I said it. I hadn't meant to; it kind of just came out.

"We agreed this was for the best back on Puget, Natalie. After everything - "

"Yes, and I still believe that. We're not... _I'm_ not ready to do anything differently. We need to give this separation time to work." I swallowed. _But that doesn't mean I've stopped feeling_ , I added to myself.

He sighed. "Right. Well, I'll try to get the whole story out of this kid, and let you know what he says."

"Okay. I'll see you guys tonight?"

He nodded. "See you tonight, Coop."


	6. Chapter 5: Old Habits

**Chapter Five: Old Habits**

At home I couldn't stop thinking about my kids, and how horrible of a mother I was to do what I did to them. Luckily Chief was there to help me wallow in self-pity, and slowly, the day passed.

In the evening I checked my watch. It was 1820 hours now. Willis and the kids should be coming by soon.

I got dinner ready for when they walked in the door, then plopped myself down on the couch with Chief to watch some show on the holoscreen. Ten minutes later, my basic door AI chimed. I gave my dog a look.

"Ready to meet everyone, Chief?" I asked him.

He gave an apprehensive low whine, and I chuckled and took his head in my hands to kiss it.

"Stop. They'll love you. Now go get in the bedroom. You're going to be a surprise."

Chief did as I said, and I shut the door behind him. Then I went up to the front to let everyone in.

It was like a stampede when I opened the front door - the very best kind.

"Mommy!" Logan yelled, practically jumping out of Willis's arms to me. I caught him as he scrambled out of his father's grasp and gave him a big kiss on the side of his head.

"Hi, baby. I missed you. So much."

As I pulled him close the twins attacked my sides, and it was like my heart was finally pieced back together after being hollow the last few days without them. Gabriel hung back behind his father, but I beckoned him closer with my free hand.

"You, too, kiddo. Come here."

My oldest son reluctantly shuffled forward and I bent down to kiss his hair - the same golden brown as his dad's and his youngest brother's. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he mumbled in a low voice.

"And you, and you, and you," I said, giving kisses to the rest of them. "Now, who's hungry?"

"Me!" Liam yelled.

"Me, too!" Olivia said.

"Me!" Logan echoed.

"Okay. Everybody head to the living room. I've got a surprise for you first." I finally turned to face Willis then as our kids rushed off. "You, too. Come on in."

He hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I think you're going to want to see this..."

While Willis and the kids waited, I went to get my new dog. Just in case, I grabbed him by the collar and gently coaxed him out.

"Okay, guys," I said loudly from the hall. "Close your eyes. Dad, you, too."

"Got my eyes closed," Willis responded.

We made it into the room. "Everybody ready? Open them!"

My daughter screamed, and Liam and Gabe simultaneously said, "Yes!" Little Logan grinned wide.

"Doggie!" he cried.

Willis just sat back in disbelief as our kids all but ran at poor Chief. I pulled him back and held out a hand.

"Okay, guys. Quietly, one at a time. Put your hand out for him to sniff first and get to know you. You don't want to scare him."

"What's his name?" Liam asked me.

"Chief."

"Chief," he repeated. Then his hazel eyes lit up. "I love it!"

"Is it a boy dog or a girl dog?" Olivia wondered, and I smiled.

"He's a boy dog. Come say hi."

My daughter was the first to greet Chief, then Liam, then Gabriel, and finally, I held onto Chief as Willis helped Logan pat him gently on the nose. It was a good family moment for all of us...until I remembered one very important fact, and my smile waned.

Once the kids had established themselves with the dog, and got to play with him on the floor for a bit, I sent them to go wash their hands for dinner. Willis took his turn to meet Chief, too, then turned back to glance at the front door.

"I guess I should be going now and leave you guys to it. You'll come drop them off at the house in a few days?"

"Of course," I said with a nod. Then I paused. "Do you want to stay for dinner? I think there's enough for an extra plate. Might be good for us to do something like this every once in a while, as a family. For the kids."

I could see him struggling to decide. After a minute, though, he finally shrugged and said, "Why not. Sure."

"I'll get another plate out for you."

* * *

The kids came back shortly and we all ate around the large, rectangular table in the dining room that seated exactly six, so it worked out fine. It was a much more boisterous and pleasant dinner than we'd all had in a while; the kids were excited about the dog, and even happier to see their father and I finally share a space again. It was definitely good for them to see us together, even if we were now officially separated.

It was still a little hard to believe when I stopped to think about it, but I was coming to terms with that as well.

After dinner Willis insisted on helping me rinse the plates to throw in the dishwasher, and the kids went to play with the dog again. Shortly after that it was bed time for everyone, and I got them all ready while Willis hung out with Chief.

I put Logan to sleep in his toddler bed in Gabriel's room, unsure if Chief needed a break from the kids for tonight. When I was done, I went back out into the living room to call the dog over, but Willis sat smiling and scratching his ears.

So I sunk into the couch beside them instead, with Chief between us.

"He seems to like you," I said, and Willis nodded.

"Yeah. He's a good dog. I think you did good getting him." He lifted his head then and met my gaze. "I wish you would've asked me first considering he'll be around the kids, but I realize this is...new territory. It's your home, and your choice, so I'm not sure...how I fit into that, or even if I should."

"It's still new to all of us. We'll figure it out."

He nodded, though I wasn't sure if he agreed or not. Chief looked like he was about to pass out in Willis's lap, so I finally called him over and sent him to his doggie bed in my bedroom, then shut the door. When I returned, Willis still hadn't moved. Tentatively, I came back over to sit down, though I kept a good amount of space between us.

"It feels strange, right?" he asked then. "Strange, but familiar at the same time."

"Yeah. It'll take some getting used to."

"I don't know that the full break helped any. I...missed seeing you."

"Me, too."

There was a pregnant pause, but I don't think either of us wanted to break it - or knew how. After a while I cleared my throat and said, "Did you ever get anything out of Gabe earlier? About what happened at school, I mean?"

"Yeah." He brought a hand up to his face and sighed. "He said his 'friend' was making fun of him, saying he came from a 'broken home' now. You know, mean kid stuff."

I snorted softly. "Some friend."

"I told him what Eddie said wasn't very nice, but still not something to punch someone over. Gabe agreed he wouldn't do it again."

"What about the other stuff Gupta mentioned? The smaller incidents throughout the week?"

"He said he just got caught messing around in class. Throwing erasers, being disruptive, that kind of thing." A corner of Willis's lips turned up briefly. "Poor kid basically hasn't had any morning recess for the last few days."

At that I reached out and swatted him playfully on the arm. "Don't. It's not funny."

"It is, a little."

I waited until the urge to giggle abated. "Our son, the troublemaker."

"Yep." He gave me a look. "He gets it from you, you know."

" _Me?_ "

"Oh, yeah. You're the one on administrative leave, remember? So...you're essentially both suspended now, at the same time."

I frowned. "That's...actually very true."

Things died down again for a moment. I don't know why but I scooted a little closer, and our eyes met. Willis turned suddenly then, cupping my cheek in his hand, and kissed me.

"Willis - "

I wanted to protest, but his lips met mine again and the sound never made it out of my throat. In seconds I found myself pulling him closer, deepening our embrace, and very quickly, I was losing all ability to think.

Willis laid me down gently against the cushions, and then I was lost in his touch and a heady mix of want and need and love. The love I still felt for him, all the time, combined with the pain of missing him these last two months, and now...I just wanted us to be together again, one last time.

We rolled onto the floor, unintentionally, but even that didn't stop us. Soon our clothing was being cast off left and right as Willis moved above me - and then, we were making love.

* * *

I didn't know what to feel afterward. Certainly I felt satisfied, but beyond that, it was all very confusing, to say the least. Willis didn't seem to have an answer for it, either. He just laid quietly beside me, sweaty and breathing hard from the exertion, as was I.

"We should get dressed," I finally said. "Just in case one of the kids wakes up. We don't want them to walk in on us out here."

"No, we definitely don't."

He rolled his upper body forward and reached for his T-shirt and boxers. In the meantime, I stayed put a little longer, relishing the sight of him naked in the dark.

"Here," he said, turning back to hand me my bra and underwear. He started pulling his clothes on, as did I, but then he frowned.

I paused, too. "Will? What's wrong?"

He hesitated. "I...should've asked you this sooner, but..."

Catching his drift, I sat up and touched his shoulder, smirking a bit. "Don't worry. I just got a fresh dose of my contraceptive shot, so I'm good for a year. You won't be getting your ex-wife pregnant."

His frown deepened. "You're not my ex-wife yet, Natalie. You're still my wife." He reached out to touch my cheek again. "And I love you."

I closed the gap between us and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you, too, Will. I told you that."

"So...maybe we should think about going to counseling. Get things back on track."

I sighed and drew my legs up to my chest, suddenly feeling more exposed than I wanted to be. "We'll see. Sex isn't going to fix this, you know. There's still a lot to deal with here."

"I know." He blew out a breath. "There's still your hearing coming up, too. Are you nervous?"

"Of course I am. And yes, that's definitely part of it. I kind of...need to know where I stand on that before I make any other decisions right now."

He nodded. "Okay. That's fair."

He moved to sit back up on the couch and finish getting dressed, but I gently grabbed hold of his wrist to stop him.

"Willis...I hope you know that I do want this to work out. I want to be with you again. But only when I can be sure...when _we_ can be sure that we can really make it work, after what happened. I don't want us to get our hopes up and have it fail, and I don't want to do that to the kids, either." Emotion welled up inside me, and I had to swallow it down to continue. "I'm still coming to terms with...everything. My pills for the nightmares don't always work, and it's...been very hard. There's a lot I don't understand about myself yet, and a lot I'm still...fucking mad at you for. So just...give it time."

"I have been. I'm still angry, too - about Ethan. I know this isn't going to all be resolved in a day. I just - " He stopped himself. He ran a hand over his hair, standing back up to his full height, and then sagged into the couch, still only partly clothed. "Forget it. You're right. Let's do this one step at a time - you've got your hearing to get through first."

I wanted to say more but couldn't find the words - that damn curse I'd picked up from my time in captivity. Instead I finished getting dressed, as did he, and then I stood there awkwardly in the living room as he went to peek into the kids' bedrooms to say goodnight.

After that he came back out, and I saw him to the door. He stopped to kiss my forehead.

"Goodnight, Natalie. I'll see you guys in a couple days."

"Goodnight, Will."

And with that, he left.


	7. Chapter 6: A Roll of the Dice

**Chapter Six: A Roll of the Dice**

 **0640 Hours, May 14, 2561. UNSC Chariot Naval Air Base, Desmond, Regent State, Planet Mars. Inner Colonies. Prologue to** **the Enemy of My Enemy**

Today was finally the day.

I stood in front of the mirror in my bathroom, putting the finishing touches on my Marine dress uniform. It'd been a while since I'd worn it - not since my graduation from War College and promotion to colonel a year ago. I could hardly believe it'd been that long already.

The left side of my jacket was heavy with ribbons and medals, and they clinked together when I pulled it taut at my sides. I'd been a Marine for nearly fourteen years - it made me sad to think it might all end here today, like this. At the same time, though, I reminded myself that I was married to Willis for just as long, having said our vows in our Class A uniforms on the same day we'd been commissioned second lieutenants at the Naval Academy on Reach. That had now come to an end; it seemed poetic that this might as well.

I'd been twenty years old at the time, and I'd had no idea what awaited me during the Human-Covenant War that had been waging since before my birth. No idea of the slaughter I'd witness in six long years of fighting, of how quickly I'd go through the ranks, of how fast Willis and I would go from just the two of us to a young family of three. No idea that I'd receive purple heart after purple heart and commendation after commendation in combat - or that we'd ally with the Elites at the eleventh hour for the sake of our species, or that Willis's and my second child would die in my womb. Or that I'd lose my best friend, my older sister, and my mother, all within a few years of each other.

I hadn't known any of that. But I did now, and it all came rushing up.

Behind me, Chief made a noise. I came out of my daze quickly, realizing that I now lived alone with my four kids - and a dog. If Willis and I had still been together, he would've helped me with everything while I prepared for what was going to be a monumental day. But we weren't, and so I couldn't afford to take all the time I needed to get ready. I'd already used up what I could, and I figured I was as presentable as I was going to be. For the rest, I knew I had to get going now if we were all going to make it out of the apartment on time.

Chief gave another low whine, and I finally emerged from the adjoining bathroom into my bedroom. Gabriel stood there in his pajamas, looking sleepy.

"Gabe? What's wrong?"

He shrugged as he rubbed one eye. "I don't know. I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, aware of the fact that my youngest was still sleeping soundly in it. I kept my voice low when I spoke. "Do you miss your dad?"

Slowly he nodded, and I opened my arms up to give him a hug. Then I released him and gently took hold of his shoulders.

"It's going to be difficult in the beginning, but it'll get better, baby. I promise."

"I know, but when? I hate this. I miss you all the time when I'm with Dad, and then when I'm here, I miss him. I want you guys to get back together."

I sighed. "It's not that simple, honey. I wish it were."

"Why? Do you not love him anymore?"

"I do, son. Very much. But sometimes people break up for other reasons. Your dad and I...we just aren't on the same page anymore on some things." I saw a tear roll down his cheek, and I wiped it away with my hand. "I'm sorry, Gabe. I know this is hard on you. It's hard for everyone, but we'll get through this."

He swallowed. "Is it because of what happened to you when you were gone? When the bad guys took you away?"

Gabriel was the only one of my kids who knew about that. I took in a deep breath.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Many things I didn't want to relive. There'd been the initial ambush, where every member of my dedicated security detail - men and women I'd worked with for years, like Staff Sergeant Derek Lynch - were killed right in front of me, a terrible struggle where I'd fought against impossible odds and had ultimately been overwhelmed and captured. Then waking up in a cell not knowing where I was, or whether or not my good friend, Lieutenant Lloyd, had also been killed. There'd been the beatings and getting baited and harassed by my primary captors, Garrett and Daria. Thinly veiled threats of rape from the former, which luckily never came true. Then they'd tried to drown me, on multiple occasions - and not just with water. Hitting an already ailing Caleb in my presence, thinking he might die. An attempted escape on my part, which had ended with a gunshot to the back of my leg just as I'd reached Cal's cell, and then an entire night spent watching the clip of my men dying for me over and over again, until morning.

It'd only finally ended when Ethan and his ONI team had arrived to rescue us. Just like that, my ex had put a bullet in Garrett's brain - and later during our escape, I'd put two more in Daria's chest.

She'd been my very first human kill - the first of many during that deployment. That had changed things for me, too. I'd no longer been the same after all of that, and it'd been a hard road back. One I was still trying to figure out, even now.

To my son, I said simply, "A lot of things that changed me, and your dad, and now we're just...different people." I reached out to embrace him again. "We both still love each other, though, and we love you and your brothers and sister very much. That will never change."

"Promise?"

I kissed the top of his head. "I promise, kiddo. Now go get dressed. I've got a very important meeting to get to this morning. Make sure you wake Liam and Liv while you're at it, and I'll get Logan up." Then I glanced at the dog. "Chief? Let's get you some kibble, bud."

His ears perked up, and despite the awful memories that had resurfaced, I found myself smiling a bit.

* * *

I left Chief with a dog sitter since I didn't know how long I'd be gone, then dropped the kids off at school and daycare, for little Logan. I got to the JAG building on base with little time to spare, but still breathed a small sigh of relief. At least I'd managed to get everything done.

Now it was time to face this, too.

"Good morning, Colonel."

A tall, broad-shouldered man in Navy dress whites approached and came to a halt in front of me, saluting. He looked to be around my age, maybe a bit older, with dark, buzzed hair. I returned the salute, and he offered me his hand.

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Ian Roth. I've been appointed as your counsel for your case. Shall we discuss some things in my office before we begin?"

"Do we have time?"

"Yes, ma'am. The judge will wait a few minutes."

"Very well."

We stepped into his office, made up entirely of glass, and he sat behind his desk. I took the seat in front of it as he pulled out his datapad and began reading.

"Colonel Natalie Cooper. Age thirty-four, fourteen years in service - mostly infantry. Married to Major William Hawk, also thirty-four, and also with fourteen years in the Corps - as a pilot."

"Separated."

He glanced up. "What?"

"We're separated now," I repeated.

"Ah." He glanced back down at the rest of the file. "Here for charges of adultery, under Article 134. Your co-defendant is Lieutenant Commander Ethan Ackerson - a spook who's _also_ the same age with the same amount of time in." He looked to me again. "I'm guessing that's what split up your marriage? A little fling with the commander on your most recent deployment?"

"There's more to it than that," I answered stiffly.

He flashed me a fake smile. "Isn't there always, ma'am?" He leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head. "So? Want to give me the skinny? The first thing that pops out at me is you're all the same age. I bet there's a story there."

I blew out a breath. "We went to high school together. I dated Ethan for about a year when I was sixteen, then met my husband when I was seventeen. He was new and had just moved to town. I became best friends with his little sister. And the rest - "

"Is history, yeah? So what, still couldn't decide between the two after all these years?"

In fact, I had decided, a long time ago. I'd decided when Ethan had started abusing me, before I met Willis. Ethan finally landed me in the hospital one day, badly beaten with broken bones and a black eye. Willis had been there for me as a friend while I'd recovered, and later convinced me to leave Ethan for good, helping me end things with him. By then, I'd fallen hard for Willis, and he'd fallen for me. I'd never looked back since.

Until I finally saw Ethan again three years ago. Back from the dead, I'd initially believed. It'd been a shock at first, and I'd kept him at bay and chewed him out every single chance I got. But slowly, I saw how radically he had changed since we'd been kids together - so had I. Ethan had saved my life more than once during our first deployment together, back on Requiem. And more recently, after getting captured by the rebs on Puget - and his rescue - it hadn't been that simple anymore.

Presently, though, it took everything I had to keep my voice steady. "You'll note in the file that I was a prisoner of the rebs for three weeks before everything happened."

"I saw. I'm sorry, Colonel." He straightened and folded his hands in front of him on his desk. "I don't mean to come off crass. I know this must be a difficult time. But I have to ask - did you do it?"

"Did I have an affair?"

He nodded, and waited for me to answer.

"Well, we became close. I didn't develop feelings for him, but...we were attracted to one another, for sure." And I'd found out later that there were _definite_ feelings on Ethan's part. I took a deep breath. "We kissed, one time. He kissed me, and I kissed him back. It was..." I shook my head. "A mistake. But nothing else ever happened. I never slept with him."

"Anything of a sexual nature at all?"

"No."

He leaned back again, ruminating. "I'm sorry for the invasive questions, but it's all very relevant, I assure you. It sounds like you crossed some boundaries, no doubt, and perhaps got close to having an emotional affair. But thankfully for you - and for the commander - the UCMJ doesn't concern itself with this form of infidelity. The court _has_ to prove you two had an active sexual relationship while you were married - that is the only thing that'll get you here. If it didn't happen, and there's no witnesses to anything, you have a very good shot at beating this."

At that I frowned. "There was a witness. To us kissing, I mean."

His expression changed as well. "Who? A colleague, a subordinate?"

"A prisoner of ours, actually. A young rebel girl."

"Did she tell anyone?"

"She made mention of it to Eth - to Commander Ackerson's subordinate, Lieutenant Caleb Lloyd, when we interrogated her. She also said we were...doing more than just kissing. I told him it wasn't true, because it wasn't."

Roth thought for a moment. "Well, that's not going to be strong evidence, coming from someone who would have great motive to do you harm. But if she made an official statement during interrogation, it'll be logged, and the court might play on that."

My heart sank. "So that's it? I'm in trouble on the exaggerated word of an enemy? On a _lie_?"

"We'll see," the lieutenant commander said. "I'm good at what I do, Colonel, and I promise you I'll do my utmost to get you exonerated." He stood then, and gestured towards his office door. "Shall we, ma'am? The judge is waiting."

* * *

I was immediately struck by the grandeur of the court when I walked in. It wasn't a large space, but it was imposing just the same, filled with the great seals of the Judge Advocate General and the Department of the Navy, along with an impressive-looking judge's bench up front.

I took in a breath while my appointed attorney and I sat down at our table. This was where my fate as a Marine - the fate of my whole career - would be decided.

And Ethan's as well.

Looking across the room, I saw him walk in with his own legal appointment, a young female Marine captain. I could see her smiling, and I knew he was already putting the moves on her. I wanted to roll my eyes. His charm was part of what got me, too, but it wasn't going to look good to the judge if he was flirting with his damn attorney.

He was in ONI's dress uniform, a darker color than mine, and he too had an impressive array of accolades on his jacket. Whatever else he was, Ethan was a good operative - I'd seen that firsthand, initially on Requiem, where we'd been posted together, and then during the battle against the Prometheans on Earth. I'd seen it again more recently on Puget, where I'd spent most of the deployment alone while Willis was home here on Mars with the kids. It was only when things got bad enough - when we'd discovered the Promethean presence there - that I'd called for reinforcements, and my husband had been part of the incoming group. By then, what had happened with Ethan and I had happened. Needless to say, it'd been a very contentious and draining reunion.

But I wasn't going to dwell on that now. That had passed. What mattered now was whether or not the judge would believe that my ex and I had never consummated anything. And that, while difficult to prove, might still happen depending on the testimony against me.

There was a third table on the far side, and I saw now that it was for the appointed prosecutor. He looked like a lithe and serious man, a Marine major, and I instantly knew he was going to make these proceedings hell.

"All rise," an enlisted woman in the corner said, and we all rose as one. "Captain Terrance Prim presiding."

The Naval captain entered the room then from a door closer to the bench, rather than the one at the main entrance we'd come through. He looked past middle age but trim, with gray hair going white on his head. He sat down without a lot of fanfare, and then looked out at each of us in turn.

"We are here today for the hearing of Colonel Natalie Cooper and Lieutenant Commander Ethan Ackerson, both accused of adultery, in violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. How do you plead, Colonel?"

"Not guilty, sir."

"Commander?"

"Not guilty, sir."

"Very well. And what evidence does the prosecution have for me to determine otherwise?"

The Marine major on the far side stood. "Sir, I have a logged transcript of an interrogation here performed by Colonel Cooper, Commander Ackerson, and a Lieutenant Lloyd. One of their prisoners was a witness to an alleged incident involving the colonel and the commander."

"The prisoner's name?"

"Sofía Valentina Rios, born Laraza, sir. She and her father, Javier Laraza, were released from captivity by their compatriots during an assault of the 52nd Regiment's camp in Cordonnes. That's on Puget, Outer Colonies."

The Navy captain nodded, then turned to my attorney. "Anything to say, Commander Roth?"

"Just the obvious here: the witness is a rebel. Not only that, but she's the daughter of a man who's spent years now going after Colonel Cooper personally. I can't think of a better way to get even than to end or stall the career of someone you can't outmatch in the field."

I resisted the urge to look over at him then, but I had to say, I was impressed so far. Roth had done his homework.

"Any other evidence, Major Lee?"

"Not at this time, sir, but we will gather other potential witnesses and testimonies, should this court decide to proceed with a court-martial."

"And should it come to that, the defense will return with character witnesses of their own, sir," Roth countered.

Captain Prim thought for a moment. "What was this alleged incident, Major Lee?"

"The pair were caught kissing by the prisoner, sir."

"How?"

"She explained it was through an undiscovered peephole in her cell. The two defendants were otherwise alone. Anything _else_ could have happened, really."

The prosecutor was laying it on thick. My blood simmered for a second, before I let out a discreet sigh to maintain my composure. I was only barely able to hold my tongue.

"And did it, Major? I am not court-martialing two otherwise outstanding servicepeople for a smooch. Commander Ackerson has an exemplary record as an ONI officer, heading many successful black ops on his own. Colonel Cooper likewise has an excellent reputation, and has seen a promotion to O-6 ahead of many of her peers - and at a relatively young age. The UNSC is short on officers like them."

I watched as Major Lee stood straighter. "I believe it did, sir, as did the witness. In the transcript, she says...well, I won't repeat her exact words aloud, sir, as she was rather vulgar. But yes, she said they had...intimate relations."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I muttered, and Roth gave me a look.

He leaned over to whisper in my ear. "Best you keep in whatever you have to say right now, Colonel. Even if they proceed to court-martial based on _this_ , that doesn't mean you're done for. We will fight it."

I nodded, then waited without breath to hear what the captain said in response. This was all up to him now - it could end here if he wanted it to.

"Any additional words, Captain Johan?" he said, indicating Ethan's counsel.

"Not at this time, sir. I believe my colleague, Commander Roth, covered it for the defense side."

"Very well." He gave us all a look in turn again. "Based on what I've heard so far, I do feel that the evidence deserves a fair review. I hereby call you both - Colonel Cooper, and Commander Ackerson - to a court-martial. We will reconvene here in exactly five days to hear testimony, and to declare a verdict. Until then, you're dismissed."

I felt my stomach twist in a knot at his words. This was really happening. I was going to get court-martialed for this. I could hardly believe it.

Roth sensed my disquietude and disappointment, and reached out to squeeze my shoulder. "I'm sorry, ma'am. We'll do what we can from here."

I found myself nodding back, but didn't really do it consciously. The enormity of all this was only just starting to hit me now. I'd spent months telling myself it might not even get past this stage. Or at least I'd hoped.

That hope was gone now. If I was found guilty, I'd either be demoted or kicked out of the service. Both of those possibilities were like a shot to the heart - and the death of one of the biggest parts of me.

I'd lose my honor, integrity, and reputation as an officer in the Marine Corps. I'd lose my command for good. And, after almost a decade and a half in, I'd be done being a Marine.


	8. Chapter 7: Of Bullets and Dodging

Author's Note: Warning for language.

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Of Bullets and Dodging**

I was in a daze after leaving the courtroom. I felt like things had been spiraling out of control for me ever since I got back from Puget - separating from Willis, living by myself, being placed on leave, trading off the kids, and now this. As bad as things had been in the Outer Colonies - and they'd been awful - I couldn't have ever imagined flat-out hating being home.

Everything was different now. Everything had changed; nothing was as I remembered it before I'd left on deployment. And in a few days' time, it was about to get even worse.

I would've given anything to go back in time and change what happened. I would've told myself not to be so damn stupid, getting that close to Ethan. I'd have told myself to stay away.

But Caleb had been right the other day at the firing range. Life didn't work like that. I'd done what I'd done, and now this was my punishment.

After a brief post-hearing meeting with Commander Roth to discuss our next steps, I stepped back outside the JAG building. The sun felt too bright. Marines and Navy personnel went about their business around me, some pausing to salute as they walked by. I wondered how much longer that would last.

Suddenly I felt too warm in my uniform. It was too constrictive. I pulled at my collar and felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Hey! Natalie!" a voice called out, alarmed, but it sounded far away.

It was the last thing I remembered before I dropped.

* * *

I groaned when I finally came to. Without thinking about it, I tried to push myself up on an elbow, but a hand pressed against my shoulder, pushing me back down.

"Easy there, Colonel. You took a bit of a fall when you passed out, so we're keeping you for a couple hours for observation. Just sit tight, okay?"

"W-what...happened?" I asked, still feeling a little out of it.

"From the sounds of it, you dropped like a rock outside the courthouse. Rough day, huh?"

My eyes finally focused and I could see him now. It was an orderly.

"Before you ask, you're in the infirmary on base, ma'am. We've notified your husband and he's on his way." The orderly gestured behind him. "In the meantime, you should be thanking the commander here. He's the one who brought you to us."

The orderly moved to the other side of me then and I saw him, standing quietly in the corner. Ethan.

"You've got a small bump on your head, but the doctor came in earlier to check it out and says it's fine. We'll come peek in on you in a few minutes." He glanced at us both. "I'll leave you guys to it."

As soon as he left, I blew out a breath.

"Shit," was all I could manage at the moment. I glanced down at myself for the first time, seeing that I was still in my dress uniform slacks, but only had my T-shirt on on top. My jacket sat on the back of the lone chair in the room, with my dress shoes underneath it.

My ex started to move closer, but I stopped him with a barely-raised hand.

"Don't, Ethan." I paused to take in a breath. "Thanks for bringing me here, but you should leave before Willis arrives. And beyond that, it probably doesn't look good for us to be seen together right now."

"I know. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine."

Ethan quirked an eyebrow at me. "Passing out in front of the JAG building does not constitute _fine_ to me, Nat."

I snorted. "Well, what am I supposed to be, exactly? We're being fucking court-martialed for a damn kiss, and because Laraza's daughter has an overactive imagination. After all these years, after everything, _that's_ what's going to end my fucking career."

He stepped closer again, walking up to the side of my bed. "Nobody's career is over yet, Natalie. They can't have any evidence against us because nothing happened. We're going to walk away from this. You'll see."

I huffed. "Excuse me if I'm not in an optimistic mood. Even without the court-martial, this has already caused more than enough damage."

"You mean at home?"

I didn't answer, but I supposed that was answer enough. My ex sighed.

"I'm sorry, Cooper. I really am."

"Don't. I'm the married one; I should've known better."

Both of us went quiet after that. There wasn't much else to say on the subject.

Ethan still didn't move, though, so I finally broke the silence.

"I saw you in the courtroom earlier, with your _appointed counsel_. You don't waste time, do you?"

He shrugged. "I told you I'm in love with you back on Puget, and you made it very clear you don't feel the same. Guy's gotta move on."

"With anything that moves?"

He took in a controlled breath. "That's not fair. Being hung up on you for three years is _quite_ enough for me."

"I'm not upset about it. I normally wouldn't even care, but given the context of what's happening here, I don't want you jeopardizing this trial by being all over your lawyer."

True to his nature, Ethan smirked. "What the lovely young captain and I do on our off-time is our business."

"Gross." I gave him a look. "Just don't fuck it up, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

He went silent again, and I became increasingly aware of the time. It wouldn't be good for anyone if Willis showed up while he was still here.

"Listen, Ethan, thanks again for getting me here, but if there's nothing else - "

He held up a finger. "But there is. And this is purely work-related."

I put an arm behind my head and raised an eyebrow at him, waiting.

"I've been hearing things through my ONI channels. About what's been going on on Puget since we left." He released a sigh. "I know you're on leave and don't have access to any intel right now. But it's not good."

"Why? What's going on?" I'd been left out of the loop for so long, I had to admit I was dying to know.

"Well, how do I put this? Our replacements out there weren't _you_."

"So?"

"So?" he repeated. "Some of the decisions made by our higher-ups haven't been good ones." He lowered his voice, wary of the orderly or the doctor coming back in. "I read that after we left, they decided not to blow the portal up."

"The one to Sanghelios?"

"Yes."

My eyes went wide. " _Why?_ "

"Who knows. They had a different strategy I guess. But anyway, that decision's cost us. With Laraza and his army still out there, he's got a lot of influence, and his route to taking on the Elites is now still available." He folded his arms across his chest. "And I heard that as of last night, the UNSC lost control of the site again."

"Shit." I used my other arm to pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes tight for a moment. "You're right. That is _not_ good."

"No, it's not. Laraza's got full access now to start his damn war."

"So what do we do?"

He shrugged. "What _can_ we do? Nothing right now. We'll just have to wait until this court-martial business is over. I'm thinking - "

There was a sound at the door to my room then, and Ethan stopped and turned around.

It was Willis. And he was fuming.

"Get out. _Now._ "

Ethan didn't protest or say a word. He didn't even look at me. He just held his hands up in surrender and walked out, right past Willis's hard stare.

A stare he then turned on me.

"What the hell is he doing here?" he demanded, and I flinched at his tone.

"I passed out in front of the JAG building after the hearing today. He's the one who brought me in."

"Oh, fucking perfect."

"I'm okay, Will. Thank you for asking."

He let out a rough sigh, then said in a softer tone, "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're okay. I just...hate seeing that bastard around."

"I know. But you know nothing happened, and nothing ever will."

He finally nodded and came to sit on the side of my bed. Surprising me, he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "So what did the doctor say?"

"Don't know yet. She hasn't come in since I've been awake."

"All right. I'll wait here with you until she does."

Willis was quiet after that, and in the meantime, I was still reeling from the news Ethan had imparted. It seemed things weren't just spiraling out of control for me personally lately. The whole damn universe was. Again.

"You're quiet," Willis noted. "What's wrong?"

"Something Ethan just told me. About Puget."

"What?"

I hesitated, unsure if I should be disclosing this to him, but I knew he wouldn't go spreading it around. "That Promethean portal we were fighting for at the end led to the Elites' homeworld. The rebs were trying to take control of it so they could wage war with them. Obviously, we stopped that from happening while we were there. But our replacements didn't finish the job. The rebels have control of it again now, and they're ready to use it."

Willis's face went white. "Shit."

"That's what I said."

"So what do we - "

"Good morning, Major. Colonel."

It was the doctor. She'd just walked in. Willis stood from my bed then, allowing her room to get by.

"How are you feeling now, ma'am?" she asked me as she began taking my vitals.

"Okay," I replied.

"And what were you feeling just before you went unconscious?"

"I don't know. Lightheaded. I felt like my uniform collar was choking me."

She nodded. "Could be dehydration, or a panic attack. We'll have to rule out other possibilities first, of course."

"Like what?"

"Pregnancy, for one."

I chuckled. "That's...not possible." I glanced over at Willis. "We haven't...there's been no activity for months."

Except for two nights ago, but that would be way too early. There'd also been one time on Puget - okay, twice, but same night - but that was over three months ago. I would've known by now if I was pregnant.

"Anyway, I'm on the shot."

"You'd be surprised, ma'am. No birth control is a hundred percent foolproof. Abstinence will do it, though. But I've still got to test you to be sure. Protocol." She gave me a look. "Unlike patients, a blood test never lies."

She continued with her exam and I exchanged a quick glance with Willis. He just shrugged.

Finally, she checked my pupils with a pen light, then placed it back into her coat pocket. "Okay. Everything looks good. You've got that bump on your head, but there's no sign of any bleeding. It'll probably just be tender for a while. I'll have the nurse draw some blood, and then we can send you on your way."

The nurse came in as soon as the doctor left. In a minute, she was gone again. Willis came back over while we waited.

"She was cheerful," he said dryly.

"She's just doing her job, Will."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "I mean, there's no way...right?"

"No."

Still, he seemed a little impatient as he waited, and for some reason it made me smile.

The nurse came back in shortly. "Well, Colonel, you're not pregnant. Dr. Kelling is chalking this up to a mild panic attack brought on by stress." She glanced at Willis. "You're free to take your wife home, sir, and make sure she gets some fluids and some rest. If you have any questions, or start feeling ill again, feel free to come back."

Willis nodded at her. "Will do, thanks."

"Have a great day."

After she left, my husband practically collapsed into the chair by my bed. "Whew, bullet dodged."

I almost laughed. "Yeah, no kidding." Four kids was plenty for me. Nevermind the uncertain status of our marriage at the moment.

"That reminds me, I forgot to ask - how did the hearing go?"

At that I frowned. "Bullet _not_ dodged. I'm getting court-martialed."

"Shit."

"That's what I said."


	9. Chapter 8: Moment of Truth 1

**Chapter Eight: Moment of Truth, Part One**

The days passed quicker than I would've thought - and perhaps quicker than I would've liked.

Unlike earlier in the week, Willis and I hadn't see much of each other the past several days, other than to exchange the kids. I supposed we were back to giving each other space again, or maybe he thought I needed it before my big day. I did and I didn't. It was difficult, at least when I didn't have my children, to be alone with my thoughts and the ever-present worry. That's when having Chief around - someone to take care of and hang with - helped. And my workouts, of course.

I met with Commander Roth once a couple of days prior to the court-martial, just to go over potential character witnesses that might be called upon for my defense. Ultimately, though, this was going to be won or lost depending on what and how much the judge believed had occurred between Ethan and I on Puget. Roth had told me that, understandably, hard evidence for cases like these were nearly impossible to come by, unless a pair had been legitimately caught in the act. That was good news for us, although the rebel's inflated statement could just as easily swing the pendulum in the other direction.

So it was with some understandably deep trepidation that I walked into the courtroom that morning, along with Roth. This was it - make or break. My career as a Marine depended on everything said and decided here today.

"All rise," the same enlisted female called out, and each of us did so. I stole a quick glance to my right to look at Ethan, in the center with his counsel, and on the far side, our prosecutor, Major Lee. Then I took a deep breath and faced forward again.

"Captain Terrance Prim presiding."

The Navy captain sat down at the judge's bench and looked out at us. "Today we are here for the court-martial of Colonel Natalie Cooper and Lieutenant Commander Ethan Ackerson, accused of adultery. Both have plead not guilty, but we will hear evidence from a number of witnesses and sources, and at its conclusion, I will make my decision." He looked out at Commander Roth, then Captain Johan, and finally Major Lee. "Counsels? What witnesses will we be hearing from today?"

"Sir, the defense for Colonel Cooper would like to call up Major Brewer and Lieutenant Lloyd to testify." Roth paused to give me a quick glance, then added, "As well as Major Hawk."

"What?" I said low, but Roth remained focused ahead.

"Sir, the defense for Commander Ackerson would like to include the defendant's own testimony."

"Very well," Captain Prim replied. "Major Lee?"

"Sir, the prosecution would like to enter in Sofía Valentina Rios's statements against the pair as evidence. We will also be cross-examining the defense's witnesses for inconsistencies and further details."

Captain Prim raised an eyebrow. "Do you have _any_ new evidence to include, Major? Or further witnesses to the alleged incident?"

"No, sir. But I believe some of the defense's witnesses can corroborate Rios's story."

"Very well," Prim said again. "I'll allow that. Commander Roth? Floor is yours."

"Thank you, sir."

He gestured behind us, and I watched as our three witnesses walked in. They sat on the bench to our left. I saw Willis there, too, in his Class As, but we didn't make eye contact. I had no idea Roth had asked him to be a witness for me. Or that he'd accepted.

"I'd like to call Lieutenant Lloyd up as first witness, sir," Commander Roth said, and Prim nodded.

"Step forward, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

He did so, and got up on the stand beside the judge's bench.

"State your full name and rank for the record."

"Lieutenant Caleb Dylan Lloyd, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well." To Roth, he said, "Continue."

Commander Roth stepped forward, occupying the space between our tables and Captain Prim's bench.

"Lieutenant Lloyd, would you please explain to our presiding judge what your relationship is to the defendants, and in what capacity you've served them."

"I work in ONI, sir. I'm a colleague of Commander Ackerson, and a subordinate to Colonel Cooper. The commander and I are the only two spooks attached to her command."

"And how long have you known each of them?"

"I started working with Colonel Cooper four years ago. We were on a mission on an Outer Colony world called Khan. She was a major then, in charge of the Eighth Engineer Battalion."

"This was before the formation of the 52nd Regiment, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

Roth nodded. "And how would you describe the major at the time?"

"Focused, professional. Wasn't afraid to take charge when things went truly belly-up and we needed strong leadership. Got us out of some very difficult positions with the locals, and the Storm, and the Prometheans, later on."

"So you'd say, in effect, that she was an exemplary officer."

"Yes, sir. Good caliber. She cares not just for the mission, sir, but the troops as well."

"And what about Commander Ackerson?"

Caleb frowned. "I met him the following year, on our way to a new mission on Requiem. I...didn't like him at first."

"Why not?"

Lloyd hesitated, but Roth encouraged him to go on.

"Well...he's a dick, sir."

At that Roth and the other counsels let out a laugh. Including Ethan's new girlfriend.

"All right. Keep order," Prim commanded.

"Got it, Lieutenant," Roth answered back, still grinning a bit. "Can you elaborate on that?"

"Yes, sir. He's arrogant, smarmy, and generally unsympathetic. But, I will say, he's a damn good operative, sir. I may not like him personally, but professionally, he's top-notch. The best I've ever worked with."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. No further questions."

Commander Roth walked over then to resume his seat beside me. I felt that had gone reasonably well. But now, it was the prosecutor's turn to cross-examine him.

Major Lee began speaking even as he approached the witness stand.

"Okay. So we've got the upstanding officer and the roguish operative so far. Start of a good story, huh?"

"I guess," Caleb replied.

"So _was_ there ever a story between them? Did you ever witness anything personally? Any misconduct or inappropriate interactions?"

Lloyd swallowed. "That's a lot of questions, sir."

"Then I'll start with an easier one first: you said that Colonel Cooper is a commander that cares for her men."

"Yes, sir."

"Does that include you, Lieutenant Lloyd?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the two of you were recently interred together, were you not? A harrowing experience to go through with another person, to be sure."

"Yes, sir," Caleb said for the third time. "I don't - "

Commander Roth stood. "Objection, sir. I don't understand where the major's going with this, either."

Captain Prim looked at Lee. "Major?"

"I'm getting there, sir. If I may?"

"Go ahead. But this better be relevant."

"It is, sir." Lee turned back to Caleb. "So would you say that the two of you have become close as a result? Friends, even?"

"Yes, sir."

Major Lee chuckled. "Okay, then. You have great cause to back her up in these proceedings then, don't you?"

"I haven't lied about anything - "

"Of course not. I haven't asked the relevant questions yet, son. So let's return to those and see how you answer. Did you ever get the sense that there was something going on between the colonel, _your friend_ , and the commander?"

Lloyd paused again. "Well..."

"I'll advise you not to lie on the stand, Lieutenant."

He released a sigh. "I could tell they'd gotten close over the course of our deployment on Puget together. They were often seen talking or just...around each other. But I didn't think that was a problem at the time."

"All right. I'll ask one of my other first questions again: did you ever personally witness anything that made you change your mind about the nature of their relationship?"

"No, sir. I just heard rumors, like what the rebel prisoner said."

"You say 'rumors'. Were there others?"

"I mean, there's always rumors floating around a camp, sir. People get bored. They see two people together a lot, and they assume things. But I'll say again, I never _saw_ or _heard_ anything inappropriate occur. And when I confronted them about the rumors, both denied it."

"Says the _friend_. No more questions."

Major Lee made his way back over to his table then, and I breathed a sigh of relief. At least one witness was down.

Only three more to go for our side.

Captain Prim motioned to Commander Roth, and he stood.

"I'd like to call our second witness forward, sir. Major Brewer."

My XO made her way over to the witness stand, medals clinking together on her uniform jacket as she walked. I noticed she wasn't showing yet, although she wouldn't be this early. Then again, I didn't know how far along she was. I wondered briefly if she'd told anyone in command yet.

"State your full name and rank for the record."

"Major Danielle Marie Brewer, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

Captain Prim gestured to Commander Roth. "Go on."

"Thank you, sir. Major, we're going to go through a set of similar questions to start. How long have you known the defendants?"

"Not as long as the lieutenant. I met Colonel Cooper later on during our campaign on Khan. My battalion and I came in as reinforcements."

"And the commander?"

"I met him when we were on Requiem a year later."

"And how would you describe him?"

Major Brewer shrugged. "To be honest, I've only interacted with him in professional settings, sir. He strikes me as an intense and intelligent individual."

"How so?"

"He's...decisive. Usually knows exactly what to do next and how he wants to go about it. He's also fairly outspoken. He's not afraid to back you up, or tear you a new one if he thinks you're wrong."

"And the colonel?"

"Well, they share their decisiveness trait. I've never seen the colonel think for too long about a choice. But that's not to say she acts rashly. I think she just...knows."

"So you'd say she acts on instinct, then."

"Yes. Very much so. She's a good leader in that regard, and usually right. I've enjoyed serving with her."

"No further questions."

Commander Roth surrendered the questioning to Major Lee then, and the prosecutor gleefully stepped forth.

"Major Brewer, what is your relationship to the defendants?"

"I'm Colonel Cooper's executive officer. As I said before, I don't really interact with the lieutenant commander at all beyond command briefings."

"So you're close to the colonel, yes?"

"I'd say so. Professionally, we have to be."

"And personally? Would you regard her as a friend, as your _husband_ does?"

"Yes."

"So you, too, have reason to be on her side in this." He paused, then added, "Not to mention you may wish to see her return for your benefit."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you're in charge of the 52nd Regiment now in her place, yes? At least until we reach a verdict here. And that's a big burden for a major to bear. Perhaps you'd like to see her return, lighten the load. You don't really want to take full command while you're expecting, do you?"

Commander Roth stood. "Objection, sir. Irrelevant."

"I agree," Captain Prim said. "Major Lee, please stick to the topic at hand. We don't need to veer off onto any tangents."

"Yes, sir."

It angered me that the prosecutor had somehow tried to use Brewer's pregnancy against her - and against me. I guess that answered the question as to whether or not she'd finally announced it to our higher-ups, though. That put everything in limbo now for the 52nd.

"As I was saying," Lee continued. "You have cause to see this end favorably for the colonel."

My XO just glared at him. "Is there a question in there somewhere?"

But Lee went on undeterred. "The question is, did _you_ ever witness anything inappropriate between the commander and the colonel?"

"No."

"Did you get the same sense as Lieutenant Lloyd did, that perhaps they were getting to be a little too close?"

Brewer huffed a sigh. "Like I said, I _saw_ nothing."

"But?"

She hesitated. "There were...obvious tensions when her husband arrived. I make up the rosters for the troops' billets. Major Hawk requested they bunk in separate quarters."

The courtroom definitely got more quiet then.

"Ah," Major Lee smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant one. "There it is."

"But that doesn't mean anything sexual happened between Colonel Cooper and Commander Ackerson," Brewer amended. "I'll repeat, I never saw anything." She looked out at everyone in the court. "In fact, what I did see made it pretty clear there was only anything...physical going on between the colonel and her husband."

"What did you see, Major?"

"I said before that Major Hawk requested separate quarters when he arrived. But things definitely didn't stay that way."

"Elaborate for us."

Major Brewer took in a deep breath. "What I did _see_ \- and the only relevant thing I saw - was Colonel Cooper leaving her husband's quarters very early one morning. I know she spent the night. You can...extrapolate from that what you will."

"And you never witnessed a similar episode between her and the commander?"

"No. Never."

Major Lee frowned, suddenly not so satisfied with where the testimony had gone. "No further questions."


	10. Chapter 9: Moment of Truth 2

**Chapter Nine: Moment of Truth, Part Two**

After my XO's testimony Captain Prim called for a brief recess. While the judge left the courtroom in his usual way, back through the doorway nearest the bench, the rest of us remained in our seats - although we were free to talk, or drink some of the water provided, or move around. I opted to stay seated, highly aware of my husband's presence just behind and to the left of us.

I took a deep breath, a little unnerved by the testimonies that came before now. And it still wasn't close to being over yet.

"Relax, Colonel," Commander Roth whispered in my ear. "We're actually doing great. Nothing Lee's been going for has revealed anything unsavory about you so far - or the commander, for that matter." He smirked slightly. "Being disliked by your co-workers does not mean you slept with someone else's wife."

"No." That hadn't stopped him from pursuing me, though - and I hadn't exactly given him a hard no in the beginning, either, as I should have.

Like I said, stupid.

"I didn't know you asked my husband to testify," I said to him, and Roth smirked again.

"Part of my strategy, ma'am. The judge needed to see your genuine surprise at that, so he'd know we hadn't collaborated in any sort of way with Major Hawk. He _especially_ needed to see that the major wasn't here by your convincing." Roth leaned back in his chair. "That he's here of his own accord, without any sort of intervention, speaks volumes about your innocence in all this."

"I suppose so." I still wasn't sure if the tactic would ultimately pan out for us, but I wasn't an attorney. I guess it was worth a shot.

"Still nervous?" Roth asked, and I heaved a sigh.

"Yes. That, and the fact that a lot of...very personal details about me are being paraded around in front of people I work with daily. Not exactly a position you want to be in."

Roth nodded. "I understand. But it's actually very fortunate for you that your XO witnessed what she did. Between you and your husband, I mean. And really, in a trial like this one, it's unavoidable, unfortunately. Your private life _will_ be scrutinized for every last dirty detail."

"I figured as much when we began," I replied softly, a little defeated. "But it's...different actually living it."

Commander Roth was about to respond when the judge walked back in. At the enlisted woman's prompting, we all stood again.

With a wave of his hand, Captain Prim announced, "The recess is over. Let us proceed. Commander Roth, I believe you had one more witness?"

"Yes, sir." He turned back momentarily. "I'd like to call Major Hawk to the stand."

I had to force myself to keep my gaze straight ahead as Willis stood and made his way to the witness stand. Only once he'd sat down again did I look over at him.

I took another deep breath as Commander Roth stopped in front of him.

"State your full name and rank for the record," Prim ordered.

"Major William Peter Hawk, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

"You may continue, Commander."

"Sir," Roth said, then turned his full attention to Willis. "Major, please state your relationship to the defendants for the court."

"Colonel Cooper is my wife. We've known each other for seventeen years, married for just about fourteen. Professionally, we've also been assigned together on a handful of missions in the past."

"Would you care to elaborate on which ones?"

"More recently, that would include Khan, but not Requiem. We did serve together on Earth afterward, and my air wing and I were sent to Puget late in the campaign as reinforcements."

"And Commander Ackerson?"

Willis sighed. "I knew him for about a year in high school. I don't...have a very favorable opinion of him as a person. I've only been around him very briefly a couple times professionally."

"Would you like to explain to the court _why_ you don't have a favorable opinion of him?"

"No."

That brought another hush to the room, but Roth didn't seem deterred.

"Okay. That's your right." He paused, then said, "Can I ask why you've decided to sit in defense of your wife today, given the allegations?"

"Because I know they're not true," Willis answered, without hesitation. "I know she never slept with...the commander."

"And how do you know that?"

My husband paused. "Well, obviously I wasn't present during the time frame that this is...said to have occurred. I know they kissed; she readily admitted that to me once I'd arrived. But when I asked her if things went any further, she denied it. Given her open honesty about the rest, I believe her."

"Very well. No further questions."

Commander Roth came back towards our table to sit, and Major Lee took his place. For a moment I held my breath before he began.

"Major Hawk," Lee said. "Thank you for providing your testimony today."

"My pleasure."

"I think the court is especially anxious to hear your side of things, given your unique position. When did you first get a sense that something wasn't quite right in relation to the...rapport between your wife and Commander Ackerson?"

Willis frowned, and Major Lee quickly held up a hand.

"I'm sorry, let me rephrase: did you _ever_ get a sense that the rapport between them wasn't strictly professional?"

"Yes," my husband answered immediately, and my heart dropped. I knew that admission wasn't going to go over well with the judge.

In response, Major Lee practically beamed. He did his best to cover it up fast, though.

"Right. So please, tell the court why you felt that way, and when."

"Well, after my wife's internment, I didn't hear from her for a very long time, which is highly unusual for us. She normally checks in pretty often during deployments, to see how the kids and I are doing."

"You share four children together, correct?"

"Yes."

Major Lee let that hang in the air for a moment. " _Four_. Not one or two or three. That's quite a commitment."

At that my husband snorted. "Any child is a commitment."

"Yes, but, nonetheless, a large family is quite the undertaking. Quite the...responsibility."

Commander Roth stood. "Objection, sir. Relevance? Neither the colonel's status or capacity as a mother are under question here."

"Yet again, I agree," Captain Prim said. "Major Lee, please keep your questions on target. I won't ask again."

"Yes, sir. My apologies. I'll reframe."

Major Lee paused for a moment, thinking, and I saw Willis let out a discreet breath. This trial was putting everyone on edge.

"Let me ask you a different question, Major: you say you noticed your wife was acting...abnormally distant."

"Yes."

"That's what first tipped you off that something wasn't quite right."

"Yes."

"But you said yourself she'd just been released from a rebel prison. What made you feel this was something beyond just...normal shock, or a coping mechanism following her captivity?"

Willis hesitated. "I knew Eth - Commander Ackerson was with her. I knew he'd been the team leader of the group who rescued her and Lieutenant Lloyd."

"How?"

"My brother-in-law, Commander Mark Cooper, works in ONI. He kept me up-to-date on what was happening with my wife's rescue throughout."

"I see. And why was it a problem that Commander Ackerson was with your wife? What gave you misgivings about them working together?"

Again my husband didn't answer right away. "Colonel Cooper and I...had already had some tensions about their relationship the first time they'd worked together. On Requiem. I felt that since she'd just been interred for so long, she was...especially vulnerable at this time."

"Vulnerable to what?"

It seemed clear on his face that he didn't want to answer, but had to. "To having an affair."

I felt a sharp spike of pain pierce my heart at his words. Not because they were damning, but because in the end, Willis had been right to worry. I hadn't had an affair in the traditional sense, but certainly I'd crossed lines that shouldn't have been crossed. For that - as well as for the pain in his voice when he said it - I felt devastated. And ashamed.

Major Lee took a prolonged pause again, making sure Willis's words really sunk in before he asked his next question.

"You and Colonel Cooper are now separated, correct?"

"Yes."

"And is that why you're separated? Because of what _did_ occur between her and the commander?"

This time, Captain Prim intervened directly. "Be more specific, Major."

"By that I mean their closeness, the kiss?"

"In part. We're also just...not as close as we used to be, for that and for other reasons."

"Reasons I'm sure you'd rather keep to yourself, given it's not relevant to the case?"

"Yes."

Major Lee nodded. "That's perfectly fine. Thanks again for your testimony, Major."

As he walked back to his table on the far side of the courtroom, I could see the prosecutor's smirk. He didn't even try to hide it now.

In the end, Willis's testimony had proven a major win for him...and a huge blow for us.

* * *

Watching Willis on the stand had been emotionally rough for me. I wasn't really sure what Ethan hoped to gain by testifying himself - maybe just to reiterate that we hadn't ever gotten physical. If we were let off the hook now, I knew it'd be on a technicality only. Thankfully, that was the sole stipulation here - the fact that we hadn't slept together.

If Commander Roth had been rattled by my husband's testimony, he didn't show it. And for now, he got a chance to rest for the remainder of the trial, until he and Major Lee made their closing arguments. Now it was Ethan's counsel who took to questioning.

She approached him as Prim went through the usual inquiries.

"State your full name and rank for the record."

"Lieutenant Commander Ethan James Ackerson, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

"Captain, the floor is yours. Proceed."

"Thank you, sir," Johan answered. Despite what I already knew of her - that she'd willingly date a client - she surprisingly didn't show any sign of unprofessionalism here. Instead she gave Ethan a hard stare, like she knew exactly what he was going to say. They'd obviously rehearsed this.

"Commander, would you please state your relationship to your co-defendant, and in what capacity you two have served together."

"Yes. She's my superior officer. I'm one of two ONI operatives attached to her command, the other being Lieutenant Lloyd."

"And I'm sure the court has heard the answer to most of these questions, but let's hear it from you: when did you first meet the colonel, and what was your impression of her?"

I tried hard not to make any obvious motions of interest, but I was curious to hear what he'd say.

"I met Colonel Cooper well before she was a colonel - just like Major Hawk. It was eighteen years ago for me. We were both sophomores in high school. I saw her in class one day, asked her out, and we dated for a while."

"So you're exes, correct?"

"Yes. But that was a very long time ago."

Captain Johan let that settle. "Right. I mean, you could say that people can generally change completely in eighteen years."

It was Major Lee's turn to stand now. "Sir, objection. I don't see how _that's_ relevant."

"Agreed. Captain Johan, please focus your line of questioning."

"Yes, sir. I'll repeat my initial question, then: what was your first impression of her?"

"Well...I was a teenage boy. She appealed to me on a physical level first. Then, once we started dating, I noticed her other qualities, too. She was quiet, thoughtful, kind, and inquisitive. Certainly a better person than me at the time."

"And what was the reason for your eventual breakup?"

Ethan didn't miss a beat. "That was entirely on me. I was a kid and didn't treat her right."

 _Understatement of the century._

I was worried about where things were going to go from here - if Johan would take it to the next level and reveal exactly why we'd broken up, to many people I didn't want to ever know - but thankfully, she didn't.

"And soon after, she began dating her now-husband, Major Hawk."

"That's right."

Johan nodded. "So get me up to speed here: what did you notice about her more recently? When you finally saw her again as an adult?"

"Well, she'd changed. Pretty radically." He smiled a little. "She's no wallflower anymore, that's for sure. She's very take-charge, no holds barred, a hundred percent Marine. Not afraid to jump into the action, not afraid to get dirty, willing to do the exact same job as those under her command. And yet somehow, she's retained that essential sense of wanting to do right, and be fair to those around her. She's earned a lot of respect from her subordinates for that. I'm sure it's a big reason why she outranks both her husband and I by two pay-grades."

"So you'd say you admire her, yes?"

"Definitely."

"Right, then. No further questions."

I was almost surprised she'd just left it at that. I guessed Johan was trying to play it off as his interest in me being purely one of respect for an old peer, rather than someone he pined after.

But now it was Major Lee's turn, and his questions wouldn't come across as practiced. If I knew anything by now, it was that the prosecutor was good at twisting the real, raw truth out of people.

"Commander Ackerson, I'm just going to get to the heart of the matter with my questions, if you will. You say you admire the colonel - what she's become now."

"Yes."

"Did that ever manifest itself or evolve into romantic interest?"

"On my part, yes."

"And on hers?"

Ethan paused, remaining silent for a while.

"Commander?"

"No. It didn't. She made it clear to me on several occasions that she loved her husband, and only him."

"But there was a mutual attraction there."

"Well, I can only really speak for myself, and what I _think_ was going on with her. But yes."

"And did that...attraction ever manifest itself in the physical?"

"Once. We kissed."

"Which is what the rebel prisoner said she was witness to," Major Lee reminded everyone. "But nothing else?"

"Never."

"Not even later?"

" _Never,_ " Ethan repeated more forcefully.

"All right. Go on."

"After we...kissed, she became insistent that it would never happen again, or evolve from there. She told me she would absolutely not take things any further, even after...I told her of my feelings."

"That you wanted to be involved romantically."

"Yes."

"An interest she did not share?"

"Correct."

Major Lee paused. "So, in effect, if she _had_ agreed, and had reciprocated your feelings...you would have had no qualms about breaking regulation."

Captain Johan stood. "Objection, sir. Speculation."

"Sustained. Major Lee, you're on very thin ice. Clean up your questioning. _Now._ "

"Yes, sir." He turned back to face Ethan. "And what about the rebel prisoner's claim that the two of you did have intercourse?"

My ex snorted. "A flat-out lie. As you've heard here today, and know from official reports, Colonel Cooper and I held that interrogation along with Lieutenant Lloyd. It was obvious the girl was trying to get a rise out of one or all of us, and divert the attention away from her own questioning. So she tried to say something sensational to provoke a reaction in the lieutenant." Ethan smirked. "Joke's on her, though. He's a good spook, and it didn't work."

Major Lee finally nodded. "Thank you, Commander. No further questions."

As soon as the prosecutor returned to his table, there was a momentary pause. I think everyone just needed to decompress a little after all the testimonies. I was hoping for another break in between before the final statements, but that's not what happened. Instead, Captain Prim glanced up from his datapad and addressed the court.

"We will now hear concluding statements from both the prosecution and the defense." He gestured to Major Lee's table. "As is customary, the prosecution will go first."

"Thank you, sir." Lee came forward then, pausing in the middle of the room to glance up at Captain Prim. "Sir, you've heard the testimony here today, and I think it's been very revelatory. From the accounts of Major Hawk and one of the defendants himself, they say the only thing that happened was a kiss. But the truth is, in cases such as these, we can never really know that for sure. What we _do_ know, based on the testimony of Sofía Rios and Commander Ackerson himself, is that both he and Colonel Cooper were alone long enough to engage in a mild illicit act. What they did or didn't do in addition to that, only they will ever know for sure.

"But even just by what's been corroborated here today, it's clear that lines were crossed. With attraction on both sides, and romantic feelings on the part of the other, can we really trust that they didn't go even further?"

Major Lee left it at that, and Commander Roth approached the bench next.

"Sir, I don't think anyone here would deny that mistakes were made, and that perhaps a single regrettable action was taken. However, having heard the testimony here today, I think it's clear the type of person my client is, and where her morals stand. Colonel Cooper has the respect of her subordinates, her superiors, and her peers. Her own husband has testified that he himself does not believe an irreversible line was crossed. And might I remind you, sir, respectfully, that that is the _only_ consideration here - was that ultimate action taken? Did the relationship between Colonel Cooper and Commander Ackerson escalate to a physically intimate level? And the answer to that is a resounding no.

"Other than the statement, under interrogation, of a teenage girl who fights under the banner of the neo-Insurrection, no one else has claimed to have seen, or heard, anything untoward occur - let alone a condemning sex act. Please believe what the majority have told you, sir: that adultery, in its truest and legal sense, never occurred between these two servicepeople."

With that, at least the proceedings were finally over. Now, we had to await the verdict.

* * *

An hour passed before Captain Prim reappeared at the judge's bench. Everyone stood again.

One hour. I guess that's all it took to decide Ethan and I's fate.

It was strange; my palms were sweaty, but my mouth felt dry. I almost started to feel that same sense of constriction at my neck again, but I swallowed and briefly shut my eyes. When I opened them, it was gone.

"The presiding judge, Captain Terrance Prim, will now read his decision," the enlisted woman announced.

This time, I held my breath for real.

"After careful deliberation, as to the charge against Colonel Natalie Cooper and Lieutenant Commander Ethan Ackerson for adultery, under Article 134, I find the defendants not guilty."

I sagged for a moment. Actually _sagged_. Like my legs just felt like jelly and I might fall.

Captain Prim went on.

"I have heard from several witnesses today on this matter, and no one ever saw or heard of any sexual misconduct from either of you. You never privately visited each other's quarters, and you were never discovered in any compromising position elsewhere. In fact, the only thing that was witnessed firsthand was Colonel Cooper leaving Major Hawk's quarters, with the implication that she had stayed the night. As the two of you were married at the time, and in camp, there is nothing to be questioned there, legally or morally."

Commander Roth glanced at me out of the corner of his eye then. The side of his lips were already turned upward slightly in a grin.

" _However,_ " the captain spoke louder then, and I felt the air in the room shift. "While a kiss alone is not grounds to convict for infidelity, nor proof that the pair ever became physically intimate, there _is_ a general consensus here that the defendants became much too close during their deployment. More than a subordinate and his superior should, and past the point of professionalism or friendship. While I do not believe that the relationship ever progressed beyond that, or became sexual, it was, without a doubt, inappropriately intimate all the same.

"For that reason, it is my decision here today - and therefore, that of the court's - to find you both guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer, under Article 133. You will each receive a reduction in rank of one pay-grade as punishment.

"Lieutenant Colonel Cooper?"

"Sir?"

"You may resume your command of the 52nd Regiment as an O-5. Lieutenant Ackerson?"

"Sir?"

"You are hereby ordered to transfer to a new unit as an O-3, to be selected for you shortly. You may remain in charge of your ONI team, but you will do so at a reassigned location." Prim looked out at the court. "Thank you everyone for your testimonies and your time. You're dismissed."


	11. Chapter 10: Fall From Grace

**Chapter Ten: Fall From Grace**

Well, I'd been demoted now.

I was still a Marine, at least, and had even somehow managed to retain command of my regiment. But my career had taken a definite hit. All my hard work for nearly a year - at War College, and with a brand-new baby to boot - had been for naught. All my work the following year as a full-bird colonel was for nothing, too. All for a spectacularly foolish reason: Ethan had kissed me, and I'd kissed him back.

Lieutenant Commander Roth had apologized to me after the trial, given the results weren't exactly what we'd been hoping for, but I knew it wasn't his fault. Asking Willis to testify had been a gamble, and I could see why Roth had wanted to try. It was a good idea that just hadn't held up once the prosecutor had really gone all-out on his cross-examination.

And ultimately, Ethan and I had placed ourselves in this position. There wasn't much left to say.

I went straight home after the verdict was read; I didn't stop to talk to Willis, or Ethan, or anyone really, other than my counsel to thank him for his work on my behalf. I was already pulling off my dress jacket as I walked through the door, and threw it onto the back of the couch as Chief came bounding over. Unlike me, he was happy, tail wagging and excited that I was finally home. I bent down to pet him some, then went to my bedroom to change.

I didn't have the kids today, so I didn't have to feel guilty when I popped open a beer from the fridge. It was going to be one of those nights - one I hadn't had in a very long time.

Dressed now in a pair of sweatpants and a UNSC-MC T-shirt, I curled up on a corner of the couch and took my first swig. It felt good; refreshing. I closed my eyes, only opening them once in surprise when I felt Chief jump onto my lap, then closed them again. I put my hand on his head and he gave a low whine, in commiseration I guess.

He kept me company while I drank the alcohol slowly, in the quiet and emptiness of my apartment, and fought back tears.

* * *

I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself the next day. I'd kept myself to just the one beer so I wasn't hungover, but I definitely wasn't feeling up to my usual morning routine. Chief still needed to go out, though, so I got up early and took him for a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood.

Technically I was still on leave until the start of the new week. I'd received my orders last night to return to my command starting Monday, and that, at least, was a welcome relief. I was glad to have something to do again and get back to work - although I still had to get through the weekend first.

That also meant I'd be receiving full pay again. Even as an O-5 it was nothing to sniff at, but given the demotion it would be significantly less than what I was used to earning now. It was possible that meant Willis and I would have to return to our attorneys to renegotiate how much I had to give in spousal support, and it also meant I was pretty much at my limit now with helping maintain two households and four kids half the week - plus Chief.

I also wondered how my return would be received by my subordinates. By now everyone would be well aware of why I'd been gone, what I'd been charged with, and that I was coming back a lieutenant colonel. I trusted Brewer and Cal to not be the ones spreading the information around, but there were hardly ever any secrets amongst a unit - especially something as juicy as your CO being convicted of misconduct. I knew that I'd likely lost the respect of many, along with my very obvious loss of rank.

It'd be a long and hard road back to earning that again. But I tried not to dwell on it for now.

After taking Chief out for his walk we went back home. I'd just set out some fresh food and water for him when I heard a knock at the door.

When I opened it, I was very surprised to see Lieutenant Lloyd on the other side.

"Good morning, ma'am," he said.

"Hi, Cal. What's up?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't you have a pregnant wife at home to attend to?"

He chuckled. "Actually, _she_ pushed _me_ out. Said she was pregnant, not handicapped, and I needed to stop hovering and trying to do everything for her."

I smiled in return. "Well, I've had a _bit_ of experience in that department. If you need some advice on how to navigate us at this very...precarious stage in a lady's life, you've come to the right place."

"Yes, please, ma'am. I'm so very lost." He sighed. "I keep feeling like I'm just saying and doing all the wrong things lately. Dani either gets upset at me or cries."

At that I barked a laugh. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you've just described the whole nine months there, Lieutenant."

Cal gave me a distressed look. "Really?"

"Yup. And it'll only get worse towards the end. Just gotta do your best to ride it out."

"Oh." He frowned like he'd been hoping for a different answer. "Well, anyway...I was wondering if you wanted to go back out to the range with me today. I figured you might need it after that trial, and I don't really have anywhere else to be for a couple hours."

"Sure. I'll have my neighbor check in on my dog for me."

"Great. We'll met up over there, then."

"All right."

He turned to go, but I stopped him.

"Hey, Cal?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Just remember: this too shall pass."

It was only once he'd left again that I realized that applied just as much to my situation as his.

* * *

I changed again into a shirt and dark gray pants, opting for sneakers this time rather than my boots. It was warmer out today so I left my jacket at home, and went to enjoy the outdoors with something that really made me feel at home: weaponry.

Despite everything, I felt more excited as I pulled up to the firing range this time. Now I knew for sure I was coming back, that my life wouldn't change as drastically as I'd feared. Professionally there'd still be some challenges to deal with, but I wouldn't have to outright find myself a new career. That, I didn't think I could have handled. I was convinced my reputation before now had saved me in that regard.

It'd been a rough couple weeks, so I skipped right past the sidearms this time and grabbed an assault rifle instead. It was time to have some real fun.

I was busy getting the gun set up and ready to go when Caleb approached. He had a battle rifle in his hands.

"So, how's everything been going, Cooper? After the court-martial, I mean." He paused. "I'm sorry about the demotion. I hope our testimony helped."

"It did, Cal. Thank you." I released a sigh. "To be honest, things are still sort of up in the air."

"Between you and the major, you mean?"

I nodded. "I wasn't expecting it to be any different, though. Now we're officially separated, but it's still a kind of relationship limbo. I don't know if we're going to actually pull the trigger on this and divorce, or get back together."

"Have you talked to him since the trial?"

"No."

Things had been moving in a better direction before the court-martial, given distance and time. Now, though, I got the feeling from my husband's silence that the testimony had reopened a lot of old wounds. And of course with my conviction for conduct unbecoming, there was tangible proof now that I'd done something wrong - not a full-blown affair, but a form of betrayal nonetheless. In essence, his feelings of hurt had been validated by the court, and I had a sense that had set us back again.

"Well, the only thing you can do about that is give it time, ma'am."

"I know."

I finally got the rifle set up how I wanted, so I went to grab a few clips to play around with. Rather than chitchat some more with Caleb, we each pulled on our hearing protection and glasses then and got into place in separate lanes beside one another. I set the mode to moving holograms several meters out, shifted my stance, and tucked the butt of the gun into my right shoulder.

As soon as the first target flashed into view, I unleashed hell.


	12. Chapter 11: Wounded Pride

**Chapter Eleven: Wounded Pride**

 **0702 Hours, May 22, 2561. UNSC Chariot Naval Air Base, Desmond, Regent State, Planet Mars. Inner Colonies. Prologue to** **the Enemy of My Enemy**

After my usual workout, I spent a good twenty minutes pulling my colonel's insignia off all my uniforms, replacing it instead with the old silver oak leaf of an LTC. The eagles I placed in a small box at the back of my closet; I didn't want to be reminded of what I'd achieved, and what I'd now had taken away. It was too hard to face.

Later I said goodbye to Chief for the day, leaving him in the care of a dog sitter again, and headed for base.

Dressed in my battledress this morning, I felt more like myself than I had in a long time. I came to a stop and handed over my credentials to the MP at the gate. He scanned them with his datapad, passed them back, and then waved me through.

"You're clear, ma'am. Have a good day."

"Thank you, Sergeant."

I drove through the base's narrow, winding roads until I reached my regimental office, which overlooked one of the large PT fields. I adjusted my cover before leaving my car, and got a number of salutes as I walked across the grounds, which I returned. Once inside the building I made my way to the end of the corridor, and that's where I finally stopped and took a deep breath.

The insignia of the 52nd Combat Regiment - my regiment - was pressed into the center of the door, with our unit designation above it, and the words "Commanding Officer: COL Natalie Cooper" in a removable nameplate just beneath it.

My heart dropped as I stared. It was yet another reminder of the fact that I'd been busted down a few days ago.

I swallowed down the hurt and went inside. Everything was exactly as I'd left it before deployment, and that made it hard to come back here as well - because nothing _else_ was the same. I dropped my bag in the corner, then took a seat behind my desk and noticed the family picture framed beside my COM console. It was Willis, and me, and all four of our kids - including a smiling baby Logan - all looking well and content. That was the hardest thing of all to see. I quickly turned the photo outward, facing it away from me. I couldn't take all this heartache and reminders of what I'd lost all at once.

Thankfully, before I got too involved in the past, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter," I said, and Major Brewer made her way inside.

She stopped before my desk and saluted. "Colonel. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Dani." I returned the salute and gestured at her. "At ease. It's good to be back."

My XO relaxed her stance, then smiled nervously. "To be honest, I'm just glad the top job's no longer mine. I don't know how you managed all this when you were pregnant with your son, after Charleston and Savannah."

I chuckled. "Not easily. But you do what you have to."

"Yes, ma'am."

"How far along are you now?"

"Eleven weeks. Still on the early side, but things seem to be going okay so far."

"And how are you feeling?"

"Well, the morning sickness isn't fun. But it's starting to abate now."

"Good to hear." I leaned back in my chair. "So, what's the scoop? I'm ready when you are."

"Yes, ma'am. I've sent the report to your datapad with the details, but the short of it is, we're readjusting well now that we know for sure you're back. On the ONI side, though, I hear the brass is scrambling at the moment to find a replacement for Commander - uh, Lieutenant - Ackerson. After the trial, I mean."

I nodded. "Not surprising." Spooks weren't a dime a dozen, especially so many years after the Human-Covenant War had ended. It would take time to replace Ethan.

Brewer's expression changed then. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. I know the results probably weren't...what you were expecting."

"I don't know what I was expecting, truthfully. I guess I'm lucky in a way that I received the punishment I did, and not something worse." Which I had no doubt would've happened if I'd been found guilty of adultery instead. I could've been a major right now, with no command and tossed into a brand-new unit - or thrown out of the Corps entirely. As upsetting as it was to find myself demoted, I had no illusions that it couldn't've been a lot worse.

"Well, I just...I know what Caleb went through when you guys got back, and I can't imagine going through the aftermath of something like that alone. I...can understand a little of why you felt the need to turn to someone."

I shook my head. "Still doesn't excuse what I did. But thanks. And thank you for agreeing to testify for me, by the way."

"Of course."

"Anyway - the regiment? Where are they now?"

"Field exercises, ma'am. In the woods a few klicks from here."

"Well, Major, in that case, I suppose we should go drop by," I said with a small grin.

Brewer's face lit up, too. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Once we'd donned full gear, including helmets and armor and weapons, a driver took Brewer and I to the training site in one of the 'Hogs. I could already hear the weapons fire and occasional explosions as we pulled up by the rear formation. As soon as the young PFC came to a halt, I turned to face my second-in-command.

"We'll take it from here, Dani. Stay safe."

She nodded. "Don't worry, ma'am. I'll keep myself out of trouble."

The driver waited for her to dismount, then was about to push forward at my signal when Brewer tapped hard on the side of the vehicle, stopping him.

"Yeah?" I asked.

She leaned in close to talk above the noise, rifle already pulled down off her shoulder and in her hands. "I forgot to tell you that Harris's replacement, Major Murphy, is here now, Colonel. He should be further ahead at the CP, if you wanted to meet him."

"I do. Thanks."

My XO nodded again, and then we were off once more.

Shortly after dropping Brewer off, I heard her announce over the COM that we were inbound. Some of the live-fire training closest to us died down for a bit, but on our flanks, the remainder of the Marines continued, and I had to admit I sort of basked in the sounds of combat momentarily. It'd been a long time since I'd been in the thick of things - not since Puget, in fact. It felt good in a way. Familiar.

Finally, after driving through the forested area and the slightly bumpy terrain underneath, we reached a small shack that I guessed was the designated command post for this exercise. I got out, thanked the driver, and brought my rifle to bear as I spotted some enemy holograms in the distance. They were far out, yet still within range, and I finally got to fire off a few rapid bursts at them with my DMR. They quickly fizzled out of existence, and I slung my rifle back over my shoulder as I jogged to the door.

I was immediately met with stares when I pulled off my helmet, followed by salutes with only a slight delay. Major Wayne Mullen, commander of my buddy Oliver's 904th Infantry Battalion, stepped forward first.

"Colonel Cooper. Welcome back."

"Thank you, Wayne. How are we all doing? What's going on?"

"Major Brewer sent us out on field ops today after PT," he answered. "The whole 52nd is here. Doing some combat training in wake of the recent rumors about some shit going down on Sanghelios."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What shit?"

Mullen shook his head. "You'll have to ask the spook about the specifics, ma'am. I just know there's been word from the brass that they're looking to send a unit out sometime soon."

At that I frowned. Ethan had been right about what had happened on Puget. The rebels had indeed retaken the portal site with the Prometheans...and it sounded like they might have even already put it to use.

I ran a hand over my hair in frustration. "Fuck."

"There's no orders out yet, ma'am. Brewer just wants us to be prepared."

I nodded, but given everything that had happened lately - between me and Willis, and the kids, and the trial - I honestly couldn't even wrap my head around having to deploy again right away. We hadn't even been back two whole months yet.

"Anyway, as I'm sure Dani told you, we finally got our replacement for Major Harris in," Mullen went on. He pointed at the door. "He left a second ago. He should still be out back."

I gave the major another curt nod in acknowledgment, then went to look for Murphy. I was surprised when I nearly walked right into him - he was busy crouching on the ground, pulling grenades out of a crate.

"Major John Murphy? I'm Lieutenant Colonel Natalie Cooper, your CO. Welcome to the regiment."

He turned around slowly, looked up at me through his visor, and gave a snort. Eventually he stood, two frags in one hand with his submachine gun in the other, barrel pointing down. He lifted his chin at me, but didn't salute.

"Formerly _Colonel_ Cooper?" he asked. I noticed he had an Australian accent.

"That's the one."

He snorted again. "Heard you had an affair with one of your ONI operatives. Thankfully _not_ the married one, although you yourself are. So why should I trust someone like that in the field?"

I had to admit, I didn't have an answer to that. I swallowed, putting my hands on my hips as I looked at the ground.

"I'll admit that I've...made some mistakes as of late." I glanced up again and met his gaze, noticing his eyes were blue. It was just about all of him I could see with all his gear on. "But that business is my own, and it's over and done with now, and it wasn't an affair. As for the rest, I'll have to earn your trust. Nothing I say will change your mind until you see how I work."

Murphy thought that over for a long moment before nodding. "Fair enough. You regulars always did have poor discipline anyway." He still didn't salute me, although he did hold out his hand now. "Jack."

I took his hand and shook it.

"I'm sorry about...Major Harris, was it? The man I'm replacing? He sounded like a good bloke."

That brought up way too many feelings I just didn't have the emotional inventory to handle right now. So I settled for a simple reply.

"Yes. He was."

I missed my former battalion XO a lot. Shawn had been a good friend of mine, and a damn good Marine. He'd died a hero, trying to rescue the remainder of the prisoners in the rebel facility Cal and I had been held at for weeks. Laraza had caught him, though, and shot him point-blank in the head, execution style. The rebel leader had broadcast it for everyone in the facility to see, so I'd been witness to the horror even if I hadn't wanted to be. Just another reason we needed to find that bastard and lock him up again.

At my words, Major Murphy just gave a nod of his head. "Too bad he's gone, then."


	13. Chapter 12: Turn Back Time

**Chapter Twelve: Turn Back Time**

I spent the remainder of the morning in the woods with my regiment, going through maneuvers. It was great to be back.

Sometime in the early afternoon I had to cut my reunion tour short, though. After being excluded from the goings-on for the better part of four months due to my uncertain status, I had mountains of paperwork to go through now that I'd returned. Brewer had done her best in my absence - and it was a lot - but without a reliable XO of her own, it was understandable that much of the busywork had been left by the wayside to pile up.

I'd also been hoping to speak to Cal about what Major Mullen had said to me, about something having happened on the Elites' homeworld recently, but he was nowhere to be found. I finally asked my XO, and she gave a sigh.

"He got called to Sydney on Earth for a two-day spook briefing," she said. "Last minute, and all very hush-hush, as they like to be."

Well. That made me even more curious now about what was going on with our former enemies-turned-allies-turned-somewhat-enemies again.

I realized I could reach out to Ethan about it if I really wanted to know - and I _definitely_ wanted to know - but Brewer told me Cal was due back tomorrow, and I wasn't exactly itching to reopen that can of worms. So I decided I'd wait.

I was deep into the less glamorous side of my job when I heard a knock on my office door again.

"Enter," I said, just like before, and someone did come in. Just not at all who I was expecting.

It was Willis.

I immediately dropped what I was doing, lost in a sea of hard copy files on my desk, along with my datapad, and froze. "Hi."

"Hi," he returned. I watched him take in all the clutter in front of me and frown. "I heard you were back. If you're busy, I can - "

"No. Stay."

He nodded and sat down in one of the chairs before my desk. He was dressed in his flightsuit today rather than camouflage like me, so I knew he'd been out at the airfield all morning - and in the air. Right now, though, he spent a long time fiddling with his cover between his hands. That made me a little nervous.

"Will, if you have something to say to me, just say it."

He was here to tell me it was really over. We were getting divorced. I knew it, and my heart ached and sank at the same time.

Finally, he took a deep breath. "I've been thinking a lot the past few days since the verdict. I have some...concerns that I wanted to bring up with you."

"Okay." I had no idea where this was going, beyond the fact that I felt in my gut that it wasn't going to be good.

"Your court-martial was...hard for me to get through. I'm sure it was for you, too."

I nodded, still nervous. "Yeah."

"It was hard for me because a lot of what the prosecutor was trying to paint you as just isn't...you." He folded his arms across his chest. "I know that given the chance to be alone with Ethan three years ago, you didn't make the same choices. You _chose_ to keep him at a certain distance. So, logically, I know that without what happened to you - without what you went through when those bastards took you - none of this would have happened."

"Willis, I kissed him. That was on me." I leaned forward then, putting my face in my hands for a moment before composing myself again. "I did it because I wanted to, at the time. He was there for me, I felt some sort of...human connection that had been completely absent and twisted into something...very dark while I was a prisoner. And then I had to kill my first reb, and I felt a devastating loss of connection to you when we finally spoke, and it just turned into a fight. So when he offered me that...lifeline of human contact, I took it."

My husband swallowed hard. "I know," he answered softly. "You told me all this on Puget."

"I just...want you to understand that what you thought I might not ever do...I did."

"But you didn't go too far. You realized what you'd done was wrong right away, and you put a stop to it before it became...unforgivable." His eyes met mine now, very serious. "And _that_ would have been, for me. Under any circumstances."

"I know."

We were both quiet for a while, just letting that sink in. I hadn't exactly prepared for heavy conversation today, and it was taking its toll now when I should have been focused on other things. But eventually, Willis spoke again.

"Anyway, after hearing the testimony, and having some time to reflect, I realize now that I think I can...come to terms with this." He let out a sigh. "We're broken up, you've been demoted, your reputation's taken a hit. I think you've been punished enough for making a mistake when you weren't exactly...in the best frame of mind." He looked at me intently. "I think I can forgive you, if you promise me something."

"What?"

"One, that this never happens again. And two - " He paused. "When Ethan leaves now, that's the end of it. You never seek him out, and you never contact him again."

I was left more than a little stunned. I hadn't expected any of what he was saying - I thought I knew for sure what this was about, but that hadn't been it at all. Instead of bringing our marriage to an end, my husband was giving us a real chance again. To forgive each other, and to move on.

It was tremendous, except for the fact that it felt a bit like a blow when he mentioned Ethan. But I understood his reasoning, and had figured even before now that there was no other way for us to go forward if that avenue wasn't completely closed off.

"Okay," I said evenly. Then I stared back at him. "What about you?"

He sighed again. "I already apologized to you on Puget for how I handled things after...when we finally talked again once you'd been rescued. It was...a lot for me to take in, that whole time period you were gone. I was scared for you, and pissed I couldn't come get you myself." He ran a hand through his hair. "And then you came back, and I couldn't understand why you didn't want to talk to me. But I get it now, and I know I had nothing to do with that. You just needed time. And I treated you like shit for it, exactly when you needed me most.

"I am sorry for that, Cooper," he continued. "But know that I'll never turn my back on you again."

I didn't even realize I was crying now until I felt the wet tears streak down my face. I wiped them away quickly, but more just took their place. Finally Willis stood, leaned across my desk, and took both cheeks in his hands.

"I love you, Natalie."

"I love you, too."

He leaned in to kiss me - just a quick one on the lips - and then smiled.

"So what do you think? Should we give this a shot?"

I nodded, still too emotional to say much else, and his smile broadened into a grin.

"Does that mean you'll have dinner with me tonight?"

"What?"

"Just the two of us, no kids. _And_ no dog. No matter how much we love them all. We'll get them a sitter."

I sniffled and wiped at my face with my sleeve again. "Are you serious?"

He finally made his way to the other side of my desk and kissed my forehead. "Very. I'm going to take my wife out on a date. If you'll have me."

At that I stood and wrapped my arms around him, burying my head in his chest, and he held me. We were both quiet for a long time, but for a very good reason.

"Of course, Will," I said, my voice muffled a little by his flightsuit. "I'd love to."


	14. Chapter 13: Salve

**Chapter Thirteen: Salve**

Desmond was a beautiful city at night.

It reminded me a little of Glacier City back on Puget - minus the freezing temperatures, and all the rebs and reb sympathizers wanting to do you in, of course. At least out here, I didn't need to travel in full gear with two guns, grenades, and a combat knife strapped to my person just to feel marginally safe.

But tonight I'd promised myself not to dwell on all that - not the past, or what was to come. Tonight was about fun and celebration. Two things we'd had very little of in the past year.

"Cooper," Willis said to me then, and I turned to face him, startled out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Watch your step."

I glanced down at the ground as I held onto his hand with my own. I'd been very close to face-planting into a dark puddle as we crossed the street.

That would've been embarrassing.

Once we were safely on the other side, Willis stopped to take hold of my shoulders and look at me.

"Natalie? You okay?"

I shook my head to clear it, then brought a hand to my temple. "Yeah. Just a little...preoccupied with things. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I get it. There's been a whole hell of a lot going on lately."

"Yeah."

He put a hand under my chin to tilt it up slightly and smiled. "Can't expect the world to drop off and disappear just because it's date night, huh?"

I chuckled. "Nope."

My husband leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back.

"Come on," he said when he pulled away again. "I think you'll really like this place I found."

We continued down the block, walking hand-in-hand, and it almost felt surreal to me after the last several months apart. It felt more like a memory of our former selves rather than something happening right now. But I reminded myself that it _was_ real - and that made me feel happier and more secure than I'd been in a very long time.

It turned out Willis was right about his venue of choice for tonight. Excitement got the better of me when I realized where we were going. I turned to face him with a slight smirk.

"Sushi?"

"Yup. I came here a couple weeks ago with Heat to throw back some saké after work. They do a mean sashimi plate."

I was practically salivating already. "I'm in."

Just before we passed the entrance, Willis stopped again and pulled me closer. "It _also_ turns into a club after hours," he whispered in my ear. "I've been waiting to dance with you."

The way he said it, husky and low, sent definite shivers down my spine. Too bad _that_ would have to wait for later, too.

"I look forward to it," I replied, just as low.

Inside, the restaurant was pretty crowded for a weeknight. We were seated in a few minutes and led to a small table in the corner. I didn't mind being a little out of the way. After the court-martial, I'd felt more exposed than I'd ever been in my life. Being inconspicuous was good.

We sat across from each other and opened our menus, taking some time to decide what we wanted, and I ended up going with some of Willis's recommendations since he'd been here before. After that a waiter came to take our order, and we were left alone again.

My husband smiled at me from across the table and reached out for my hand. I took his in mine and felt the warmth go through me. I'd missed this.

"So...not to get into anything too heavy here, but I just wanted you to know I fully expect us to take things slow for now," he said to me then. "I know you're still working through what happened on your own. I'm not proposing you move back in right away or anything. Just...I'd like to see you more. Spend some time alone together when we can, and work on things."

I nodded. "Okay. That sounds great."

"I know there's still a lot that needs to be done here before we get back to...where we'd like to be. But I'm glad we're getting the chance to start."

I smiled back at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "Me, too."

"And we can check in with each other from time to time, too, and see if we want to move faster or slower with things. But I'm fine with whatever makes you comfortable."

"All right."

The waiter returned with our drinks. As soon as he set them on the table, I took a sip of mine. Willis downed his in two gulps.

He gestured to my saké. "Well? How is it?"

"Very good."

His expression brightened. "Right? Just wait till the food gets here. You'll love it."

* * *

An hour and a half later I was stuffed full of fish and rice, with two sakés down the hatch. Willis had had two as well. It made for a pleasant in-between of almost buzzed, but neither sober nor drunk. A perfect mix for dancing.

My husband checked his watch. "Kitchen should be closing now. After that, it's just the bar and they'll get the lights down and the tables and chairs put away. So we've got about a half-hour to kill."

"How about a walk?"

"Sure."

We put on our jackets and went outside again, in the pleasantly chilly evening. One thing I'd always loved about our home planet was it never got too hot, even in the summertime. Nor did it get too cold, although the average global temperatures were lower than Earth's. After spending time on numerous planets with extremes in climate - humanity's homeworld included - it felt especially good to be home.

I let out a contented sigh as we walked. "I never want to leave here."

"Same. Although we won't have much choice next time orders come in."

At that I bit my lip. "That might actually be happening sooner rather than later."

Willis quirked an eyebrow at me. "What do you know?"

"I've been hearing more rumors swirling about Sanghelios. I'm waiting for Cal to get back from Sydney tomorrow to ask him what's going on." I frowned. "But just the fact that he was summoned to HighCom in the first place can't be good."

"No. Could it be for something else, though?"

"Possibly. Not even Dani knew what he was there for. But with something this big, I doubt it."

"And you think they'd send us back out right away?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Will. I guess we'll just have to see." My voice went low in dejection. "What I _do_ know is I'm not in any way prepared to leave the kids again right now. It's too soon."

"I know. That would be...difficult."

Before we could dwell on it any further, though, Willis checked his watch again, and promptly turned us around.

I decided to try my best to push everything else from my mind and stay in the moment.

"Dance time?" I asked him with a smirk.

"Dance time," Willis affirmed, and we both walked a little faster.

* * *

It felt different being on the patron side of a club for once - not part of a task force to capture a rebel leader inside, or to meet with one as part of negotiations. This time, I was here only to enjoy myself, and I took full advantage of that.

And the bar.

I didn't want to get too carried away, but we did order two more sakés - one for each of us - just to get back in the swing of things after the brief waiting period. Soon after that we were buzzed enough to go make fools of ourselves alongside other gyrating strangers. It also helped that the music was good and loud.

Above all, though, it was nice to let go.

We danced to several upbeat songs, then a slower one, then one with an amped up beat again. It was then that things got a little heady, between the Japanese wine and our night out and getting back together - and dancing so close all night. It started off with a kiss that very quickly went full make-out session right on the dance floor, and then we realized we should probably get out of the crowd.

In minutes Willis had me pinned against the wall towards the back, out of the way of most of the other patrons either twisting on the floor or drinking near the bar. We were kissing fervently and he was pressed against me, his tongue exploring my mouth as we listened to the music and the crowd in the background, and it finally got to be too much.

Other than that night at my apartment almost two weeks ago, it'd been months since we'd been alone together. I wanted him, and I wanted him now.

"Will," I said between kisses, grabbing hold of his shirt.

"Mm?" he responded.

"Take me home."

Our house was closer than my apartment, so we went straight there. It was late so the kids were already asleep, and Chief had curled up on the floor by the couch, also down for the night. We thanked the babysitter for watching everyone, paid her, and all but shoved her out the door before making our way up to our bedroom.

It was good to be home again, and in my own bed, but I had many other things on my mind right now that I wanted to get to that were even better. We stumbled through the door, more out of eagerness than because of the wine, whose effects were all but gone now, and finally resumed kissing as we worked hastily to shed our clothes.

Everything after that was some of the best moments of my life.

Finally, we were together again.

* * *

In the morning I woke up sore, but with a very wide grin on my face. I was lying naked next to Willis, snuggled up against his side with my head on his bare chest, an arm draped lazily around his middle. We hadn't gotten a whole lot of sleep, but it'd been a very good night.

My husband wasn't awake yet, so I got to watch him peacefully for a moment as he breathed deep in his sleep. Propping myself up on an elbow, I ran a hand through his short, golden brown hair, then kissed him softly on the lips. That's when he finally opened his eyes.

He smiled drowsily when he saw me. "Morning, Coop."

"Morning."

He pulled me down to kiss me, even though he still wasn't fully awake.

"Last night was - "

"I know."

I kissed him back, taking my time and deepening the kiss. I felt him stir and he started to shift underneath me, moving me closer, but that's as far as things got.

"Dad!"

We broke apart and covered up just in time, as a second later, both our twins popped their heads through the door. The one we'd inadvertently forgotten to lock the night before in our haste.

"Mom?" Olivia cocked her head to the side when she saw me, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh..."

This was not a good time for my brain to stop working.

"Did you have a sleepover?" Liam asked, and I'd never been more thankful for my shy middle son speaking up.

"Yup," Willis answered. "Your mom decided to stay over with us last night."

Olivia knotted her brows again. "Does that mean you're getting back together?"

Finally my brain supplied me with words again.

"We'll talk to you guys about that in a minute, okay? Why don't you go into the living room for now and we'll be right out."

Liam and Olivia hesitated for just a second before turning to each other with grins. "Okay!" they said in unison.

Our daughter shut the door behind her, and then I heard her yell down the hall, "Gabe, wake up! Mom's here!"

"What?" our oldest called back.

"Mom! She's - "

At that the sound of her voice became muffled, maybe by another door if she'd gone into her older brother's room, and Willis and I were finally left to sigh in relief.

I dropped back against my pillow and said, "That was close."

"Yeah," my husband returned.

"So what should we tell them? About us, I mean?"

Willis put an arm behind his head as he lay beside me. "Well, we can tell them the truth. That we're giving this a try again."

I frowned. "But what if...I don't want to get their hopes up if things don't...you know."

He leaned over and gave me another kiss. "They will, Cooper. I can feel it."

With that he rolled to the other side, got up out of bed, and started getting dressed. I did the same.

Willis smiled at me. "Come on. Since it looks like everybody else is already awake, we'll go get Logan up too and make breakfast."

"What about Chief?"

"You can take him out now to do his business, and then we'll all go for a walk after we eat. Sound good?"

I walked over to him, still only half-dressed, and kissed him. Hard.

"Sounds perfect."


	15. Chapter 14: Endings and Beginnings

Author's Note: I'm a few years late with the Sangheili civil war timeline. This will be considered slightly AU.

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen: Endings and Beginnings**

After our walk with the whole family - Chief included - I had to jam to get back to my apartment before I was due on base. Technically it was my day with the kids today, but Willis agreed to drop them off at school and daycare on his way in this morning so I could go get changed. I left my dog with his usual caretaker, showered quickly, and dressed in my battledress uniform.

It'd be another long day of maneuvers and paperwork, but I was oddly looking forward to it. And I was anxious to see if Caleb was back yet, too.

I rushed out of my car after checking my watch once I'd pulled up to the regimental building. I was running a little late. Hopefully no one would notice.

In the hall just in front of my office, I found my aide, Gunnery Sergeant York, waiting for me. He saluted, and I saluted back.

"Ma'am."

"Gunny."

"Good to have you back. Major Brewer and Commander Lloyd are waiting for you in the briefing room."

I guess that answered the question as to whether or not Cal was back. "Thanks, Gage." Then I realized what he'd said. "Wait. Commander?"

"Yes, ma'am. Our spook came back with a new stripe."

That was interesting. Maybe that was why he'd been called to Sydney. Although I knew the brass wouldn't make him do a trip like that for a promotion only. I wondered what else was in store.

As soon as I walked into the room both he and Dani saluted. I did so in return, then gestured for them to relax their stances.

"Welcome back, Cal. And congrats on the promotion. It's very well-deserved."

He gave me a small smile. "Thank you, ma'am."

I folded my arms across my chest. "So? Who wants to give me the scoop?" I glanced at Lloyd. "We've all been eagerly awaiting your return since we found out about Puget and the portal business."

Caleb frowned. "Well, I guess I'll get right into it, Colonel. There's been an...incident on the Elites' homeworld."

"So I heard. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep you up to date while you were on leave," he began. Then he looked at his wife. "And I've only just been given clearance to tell you, Dani. But it looks like the rebels are causing more trouble on Sanghelios than we would've liked." He sighed. "A small contingent of human Insurgents went through the portal on Puget a few days ago, along with the Prometheans they've been sending. The Elites not only found it that it was them shuttling the AI-bots to their planet through a back door, but the rebs also blew up one of their sacred temples during the raid."

I blew out a breath at the news, and noticed my XO tensed. This was exactly the kind of thing Ethan had been warning about while we were in the Outer Colonies, and we'd learned about the rebels' intentions with the portal through Javier Laraza's interrogation. It was why I'd set in motion plans to not only capture the site, but to rig the portal to blow ASAP, so this couldn't occur. Unfortunately, only half that plan had been implemented before I'd been stripped of command. All activity after that, other than the routine defense of our main camp, had ceased, per Major General Bolowsky's orders. My hands had been tied at the worst possible time.

"Shit," was all I could say in reply.

"Yeah. So now things are...complicated. And Puget is very much at risk for a counterattack."

"Well, that'll be up to our replacements to handle," Brewer said matter-of-factly. "Puget's out of our hands now."

"What about the Sangheili civil war?" I asked. "Ethan said - Lieutenant Ackerson mentioned they were busy fighting each other right now."

Caleb nodded. "That's accurate, ma'am, which makes things even trickier. There are still some factions on-planet that are on our side. But they're very quickly becoming outnumbered by those who wish to eradicate us - and who've wished that since the end of the War eight years ago. And you can bet that having humans, of any kind, on their planet pulling stunts like this is _not_ endearing us to anyone." He ran a hand over his short, dark brown hair. "As of now, the rebels are really throwing a wrench into things. This could start another war between us and the Elites if we don't stop them."

"Ackerson said as much on Puget," I added ruefully.

"He was right."

Things were quiet for a while as we all took in the news. Another war wouldn't result in a conflict as dire as fighting the Covenant as a whole had been, but both sides had come out of the long War beaten and decimated. Us especially; it had taken literally everything for humanity to survive that war, and we still almost hadn't made it. We would have been completely erased as a species if we hadn't allied with the Elites in the end.

After nearly thirty years of warfare against far more technologically advanced beings, things had been _that_ bad. We couldn't afford to face the Elites as enemies again so soon - the UNSC was, in a lot of ways, still rebuilding.

"Okay," I said, putting my hands on my hips now. "So what does HighCom want to do?"

"They want to send in a regiment to help," Caleb answered, then he swallowed. "They want us."

I nodded. "I figured as much."

"Anything beyond that?" Brewer asked, rejoining the conversation. "The Elites aren't just going to let us waltz onto their home turf."

"No. They aren't," Cal said. "HighCom's in talks now with a human-friendly group out there - they call themselves the Swords of Sanghelios. They're going to help get us planetside once we make it to Sangheili-occupied space."

"And what's to stop the _un_ friendly factions from bringing down our ship?" I questioned.

"I was told we'd have an escort, ma'am. It may be in the form of...transferring the troops onto a Sangheili vessel before we land."

At that I frowned. "Smuggling us in? An entire _regiment_?" I shook my head. "I don't know about that. I don't trust the Elites that much."

"From the talk I heard in Sydney, Colonel, those might just be our orders."

Finally I released a sigh. I couldn't even fathom the thought of entrusting the lives of my men and women - all fifteen hundred of them - to our former enemies. There'd been exceptions in the past, of course - I'd fought alongside the Elites at the end of the War, and even developed a begrudging respect for the one attached to my company at the time, Atalom 'Kuatee. But I had not been acquainted with anyone new since, outside of the religious zealots called the Storm - who'd incidentally _also_ wanted to kill us.

In short, they didn't have a great track record when it came to _not_ wanting to murder my species. And I was supposed to just welcome this new alliance with open arms?

Besides that, I just couldn't see how the logistics of all this would work out.

"Okay, so let's say they manage to get the troops dirtside. What about supplies, vehicles? Hell, what about our damn air support?"

"Like I said, ma'am, HighCom is trying to work out the kinks now. I still haven't gotten official word, but I was told to give you and Dani a heads-up." He looked at us both then, very serious. "That means no briefings with the other battalion commanders yet. And Colonel, I know the two of you are currently separated...but that means no mention of this to your husband, either."

"I know the rules."

The ONI operative nodded. "Of course. Just had to make sure."

I crossed my arms again as I glanced back at him. "What's the timetable on this, Cal? How soon do they want us to go, if that's what they decide?"

"I was told three weeks, ma'am. Four at the most."

"All right." I looked to my XO then. "Well, unfortunately, you know what that means, Dani."

She nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'm out for this one."

"Do you have a replacement in mind?" Lloyd asked.

"None I'd want more than your wife, but...I think I might know someone for the job if they're available."

"Who?" Brewer wanted to know.

"Major Justin Delaney," I answered. "My old classmate at War College. He replaced Major Mullen when Wayne was wounded right before we shipped to Requiem, and he did pretty well. I think he'll do a great job as my second. I'll have to get into contact with him and ask, though. And probably get General Bolowsky to sign off, too." I turned to the major again and smiled a little. "I'm sorry you're getting left behind for this, but at least it's for a good reason."

She smiled back. "Yes, ma'am. It is."

I took a step back towards the door. "Okay, then. I think that's it for now. Cal, you'll keep me apprised of what the brass decides to do?"

"Of course, Colonel. And I'll let you know as soon as you're clear to spread the news amongst the rest of the senior staff, too."

"Excellent. Then I'll be taking my leave. I've got some other things I'd like to get to this morning before it gets too late."

* * *

Three weeks. Four, tops. I could hardly believe it. By the end of all that it meant we'd only had about three months of downtime between assignments, not counting travel time. It was crazy.

Willis and I had practically just gotten back - and we'd only just gotten back together. The news would be very hard for the kids to take if we were ordered to deploy, and that hurt my heart. It hurt even worse to know I'd be separated from them again in so short a time.

I'd missed them so much when I'd been in the Outer Colonies. They'd been a big reason I'd kept trying to escape and fighting to stay alive while I'd been a prisoner on Puget. Through all I'd endured, they'd been my motivation to keep going. Now I was finally home, just starting to come to terms with things...and I was very likely going to have to leave again.

It wasn't something I could even wrap my head around all at once. For now, I needed a little something to ground me before I got into the rest of the day's work, so I decided to take a quick trip to the mess hall first.

The base mess was huge, much larger than the hastily put-up ones I was used to in the field, or even aboard transport ships. That made it all the more remarkable that I ran into Ethan as I was sipping the steaming cup of coffee I'd picked up.

At first when his eyes met mine - rich brown ones, the same color as his hair - he seemed a bit astonished and looked away. He continued walking a few more steps before glancing back, and that's when I caught his arm with my free hand.

"I need to talk to you," I said without preamble.

"Here?"

"Outside."

He gave some motion of acquiescence, not quite a shrug but close, and followed me.

"What's up?" he asked once we were out of earshot.

I made sure we _weren't_ out of sight, though, of quite a large number of servicepeople hanging around the mess. Just in case.

"Cal just got back from Sydney. Did you go, too?"

"Yes."

"What were you told? About Sanghelios?"

He scoffed at me. "Natalie, you know I can't answer that."

I folded my arms across my chest. "Well, I can tell you what Lloyd just told me."

"Actually, you might not. He outranks me now, as I'm sure he's _very_ pleased about."

"Ethan. Stop playing games."

For a moment he looked exasperated. "I'm not - fine." He gave me a pointed look. "The rebs attacked through the portal. Blew up some religious monument or something on the Elites' homeworld. But you know that, right? So why ask me?"

"I just...are you going to be part of the op to stop them?"

He rolled his eyes. "No. I'm privy to the information, but as I'm sure you know, that cluster went to your regiment to fix, and I've been reassigned. So...good luck with that, I guess."

"But you...shit. You predicted this all along. It's not fair they're pulling you off the mission."

He snorted. "Yeah, well, life's not fair, right?"

At that I glanced down at my boots and paused. I didn't know what else to say for a minute.

Then I looked up again and asked, "When do you report to your new unit?"

"Tomorrow."

"That soon?"

"Yep. You know the military doesn't waste time with these things."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Were you going to actually say goodbye this time, or just disappear again?"

My ex threw his hands up in defeat. "I don't know, Nat." He took a deep breath and added, "I love you, but I saw the way you looked at the trial - wounded. You miss Willis. He'll always be the one for you, and I'm done getting in the middle of that."

"You're right. I did miss him," I responded softly. "We're back together now."

"You're still not wearing your ring," he pointed out.

"No. But we're...working on things. And that's enough for me right now."

He nodded slowly. "Well, in that case, I'm happy for you, then. I...want you to be happy, by the way. Even if it's not with me."

"Thank you," I said with complete sincerity. "Are you...still seeing your lawyer?"

A self-deprecating smile spread across his face. "No. I think we both knew that was just a casual fling." He stared off into the distance for a moment. "She's young, and she's smart and beautiful. She'll land on her feet."

"And you?"

"I will, too," he said with a long sigh, but still half-smiling. "Someday."

I swallowed then. "Willis told me...we agreed there'd be no more contact between you and I, from here on out. Never again, for us to move on. So I just - " I found I had to swallow again to get the words out. "Take care, Ethan."

"You, too, Natalie."

We reached for each other and hugged for a long time. He'd seen me through one of the worst events of my life, through me falling apart and trying to rebuild myself again after I'd been released from captivity. And from Garrett, at least, he'd quite literally saved me.

He'd also done some very horrible things to me himself in the past - things I'd never forget, and still hadn't forgiven. But I had long since moved on.

I'd say he was about even now, between the number of times he'd risked his neck for mine on both Requiem and Puget. And I'd miss his companionship and advice...even if we'd often not seen eye-to-eye.

Despite everything, saying goodbye to Ethan still felt like losing a friend.

* * *

Before I returned to my office, there was still one more stop I had to make.

Given that this _was_ an airbase, the airfield wasn't too far from the mess. I downed the rest of my coffee on the way over, lamenting the fact that I hadn't picked up another. After my long night with Willis, I found myself already yawning, and it wasn't even 1000 hours yet. But in this case, I didn't mind the missed sleep.

I was thinking I might've just missed him gearing up for a flight, but he was thankfully still in his office. I knocked on the door before going in.

He glanced up from behind his desk, surprised to see me there.

"Hey, Coop. Need something?"

I walked up a little closer and met his gaze. "I just wanted you to know I said goodbye to Ethan just now. It's done."

He stared at me for a while, taking that in before he let out a heavy sigh. "Okay. Thanks for telling me."

I nodded in return, and walked back out.


	16. Chapter 15: Early Bird

Author's Note: Thought I'd push this out before Destiny 2 releases next week. I may go missing for a while...with my Titan. :D

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen: Early Bird**

 **Undetermined Shipboard Time, July 3, 2561. Onboard UNSC Transport Ship _Face the Stars_ , En Route to Sanghelios. Day One of** **the Enemy of My Enemy**

We'd stayed on Mars just long enough to enjoy a few happy milestones for our family, which ever so slightly made the pain of leaving again ease a bit. Logan's second birthday had been in late May, Gabriel turned eleven in June, and though we were still living apart at the time, Willis and I celebrated our fourteenth wedding anniversary in the same month. It had been special, since it almost hadn't happened, and we both felt very lucky to have made it this far.

It was soon after the festivities were over that the 52nd Regiment - along with my husband's air wing - received official orders to ship. We were indeed going to Sanghelios, with help from the Swords once we arrived. Though I'd miss having my XO with us, I'd been fortunate enough to secure Major Delaney as a replacement, and we'd already started working together before we departed Mars.

Our kids took the news hard, as expected, but we dealt with the reality as a family, and at least they could find some comfort in the fact that they had Chief now. Gabriel we spoke to alone, and made sure he gave us and his grandparents his word that he would behave better at school. He seemed a little more relaxed since learning Willis and I were back together, but I knew another deployment this soon - when we were all still trying to figure out the new family dynamic and how things might work out post-breakup and post-reconciliation - wasn't the greatest news. But we had no choice but to go.

So reluctantly, we left our children and the dog with Will's parents, as always. Soon after, we were on our way.

We'd been shipboard now for a little over two weeks, and we were approaching our rendezvous point with our Elite allies' vessel. I wasn't exactly sure how the exchange was going to work, but we had a few more days until that happened. In the meantime, I spent my days conferring with Delaney, Lloyd, and my battalion commanders, and using the ship's gym and firing range to train.

My downtime, on the other hand, passed much more quickly, as Willis and I spent a lot of it getting... _reacquainted_ with each other. We'd kept our billet to two separate quarters for the voyage, though by now, we rarely spent our nights apart.

Last night had been no exception, and I awoke beside him now in my T-shirt and underwear to the sound of beeping. It was coming from my datapad. I quickly reached over to the nightstand to turn it off, then snuggled back in beside my husband.

"Your shift or mine?" he asked me, his voice muffled by his pillow and sleep. He was also wearing only a T-shirt and boxers beneath the covers. I slipped my hand under the shirt and hugged him tighter.

"Mine," I answered, equally groggy. "I'll get up in a minute."

That was my intention, at least, but my eyes were already fluttering shut again against my will.

"Cooper."

"Mm?"

"You're going to fall back asleep."

"I know." I released a heavy sigh and rolled over, pressing a palm to my forehead as I yawned. "This is bad. We went right to sleep last night, but I'm still tired."

Willis snorted. "Just wait till we're planetside in a few days. With everything that's going on, I can't imagine sleep'll be easy to come by."

"No," I agreed. Then I smirked at him. "Maybe we should do more of that, then, and less...you know."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Now that we're finally back together? Not a chance."

I leaned over to kiss him, and he kissed me back.

We pulled apart and I stood from the bed, making my way over to the chair in the corner, where the rest of my clothes were. I bundled them up in my arms and said, "I'm off to the showers real quick. Be right back."

Willis grunted in response, and I left his quarters and went down the hall to the female head. I showered fast, as a lifetime in the Corps had instilled in me to do, dressed, and then went to the mess for some coffee. I grabbed two, along with two energy bars, and brought them back to his room.

"Special delivery." I set the coffee on his nightstand. The bar I tossed onto his side of the bed.

He frowned, eyes still closed. "I thought you said it was _your_ shift."

"Actually, I just remembered the briefing. We're both on today, so you should get up now, too."

"Shit," he mumbled, but eventually sat up with some coaxing. He frowned again at the bar. "Is this all they had?"

"It's all we have time for if you want to get a shower in."

"Yeah, I do."

We ate and drank in silence, mostly because we were both still trying to perk up. Despite the exhaustion, it was times like these I'd missed the most when we'd been apart - just sharing our lives with each other. Getting through the tough early morning wake-ups together. Being partners and lovers and friends.

He finished his coffee and bar and smiled at me from the bed, and I smiled back. We were getting closer now, I thought. Closer to how things had been, before Ethan.

* * *

My first order of business this morning was meeting with my senior staff ahead of our rendezvous with the Swords. We'd had a general briefing before leaving Mars, but with the time soon approaching, more details had been revealed to me, and I felt it relevant to go over it again, as a quick refresher if nothing else.

In the passageway I ran into my XO, heading in the same direction. He saluted when he saw me.

"Lieutenant Colonel Cooper, ma'am."

"Major Delaney," I replied, saluting in return. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Great. Excited. Not many days to go now before the big meet-up."

I gave him a sideways look. "You're _excited_ for this?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am. Free trip to Sanghelios? A ride in a Sangheili ship?" He ran an unconscious hand through his mop of curly brown hair and grinned. "I'm stoked."

I chuckled. "I'll admit, it'll be interesting for sure. But I'm more worried about how _peaceful_ this'll be." I shook my head. "A lot of the fuckers tried to kill me during the War. A lot afterward, too."

"Yeah, but they also saved our asses there at the end. And these Swords guys are pro-human. I can get behind that."

I stopped once we'd arrived, standing just outside the door. "I keep meaning to ask, by the way - how's your family?"

His hazel eyes, a lot like Willis's, lit up. "Doing fine. The girls are growing up fast. Did you know they're _three_ now? And raising hell. My wife complains all the time."

I smirked. "I believe it. My youngest just turned two before we left. He's our last, and it's mind-boggling how big he's gotten so quickly."

Delaney's grin faded a bit. "I...don't want to sound too intrusive, Colonel, but didn't you and your husband split up?" He shifted his stance. "I heard about the court-martial, too. Conduct unbecoming? It just doesn't sound like you. What happened?"

"Some things that shouldn't have," I said. "I busted my ass making full colonel and pretty much pissed it away on a dumb decision. Personal one, not professional, but I guess the distinction doesn't matter." I heaved a sigh. "And yes, technically we're separated now. Although things have gotten better as of late. We'll see where that goes. I'm not getting into it any more than that."

He nodded. "I understand. I just remember you being pretty sharp in War College, and when you led us on Requiem. It was surprising to hear that happened, is all."

"Yeah, well. Things change."

I left it at that and went inside. Delaney followed. We were the first ones in the briefing room, but that was as it should be. The two of us were in charge of the ground forces, after all. I checked my watch. "Battalion commanders should be here in five."

"Yes, ma'am."

The others, Major Murphy and Major Mullen, didn't disappoint. They came in soon after, followed shortly by Lieutenant Commander Lloyd and Willis. Once everyone was there and the usual customs performed, I started in on the meeting.

"Welcome, everyone. I think we all heard the gist of the plan back on Mars, but the time is now approaching, very soon. In four days, we'll be escorted onto the Sangheili ship _Glory in War_. We'll be transferring all personnel, equipment, and supplies onto the friendly vessel, so be sure your company commanders and platoon leaders are ready to get their boys and girls to work. We're going to try our best to stay docked for as little time as possible, to reduce the risk of being interrupted or observed." I glanced at each of my officers in turn, folding my arms across my chest. "Make no mistake now that our enemies are numerous, and not always easily identified. There's a real possibility we could encounter pirates, human rebels, or Covenant forces at any time once we hit Sangheili-controlled space. Hell, maybe even Prometheans. The landscape's changed quite a bit post-War."

I looked to Willis. "Major Hawk, you know your perimeters. Your pilots will be disembarking on Broadswords first and making sure the space around us is clear, along with the Swords' Seraph fighters."

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Lloyd, you'll be with me and Captain Dakhati as part of the transfer committee, doing the meet and greet with _Glory_ 's shipmaster."

"Understood, Colonel," the spook said simply.

I nodded in return. "As for the rest of you, any questions?"

"I have one," Murphy said, shifting his stance on the opposite side of the holotable we were clustered around. "When do I get to snap a Sangheili's neck on its own turf?"

"Not while we're still in transit," I responded, as seriously as I could. "Some of them are still our allies. We'll have to learn to distinguish the good ones from the bad, just like in our own colonies at the far edges."

The former Helljumper snorted, and I once again realized that he'd left out the honorific in his question to me. I knew he still doubted me - probably both my abilities _and_ my now not-so-unblemished reputation. Maybe he felt that because of my poor judgment in personal matters, I'd have poor judgment in the field.

It was fair I felt, in some ways. I'd done something wrong. I'd been demoted - and, in a way, rightly shamed. In others, though, I knew it was complete bullshit, and not something I could allow to continue if I were to maintain proper discipline within the ranks. Having issues with your top officers was just asking for the whole damn chain to fall apart. And right now, with everything that had happened, I couldn't afford to have one malcontent in the senior leadership when I was sure many others beneath him likely felt the same.

So I looked at him, purposely in front of the others to leave no question as to what I would and wouldn't tolerate upon my return, and said, "Major Murphy?"

"Yes?"

"Are you and I going to have a problem on this mission?"

He seemed a little thrown by the inquiry, and quickly crossed his arms. "No."

"No _what_?"

"No, ma'am. We are not." The words were nearly ground out.

"Glad to hear it." I put my hands on my hips and glanced down at my boots before meeting his gaze again. "I'm your CO, Jack, but I'm also human. I make mistakes. But I can assure you, I very rarely make them in the field. And until I show you otherwise, I am entitled to your respect. That includes using the honorific when you speak to me, and saluting _everywhere_ it's appropriate.

"Trust can come later. But respect that's owed to my rank, I get now. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Colonel." That part, he definitely bit out.

"Excellent. I think you'll come to find us regulars are _not_ as lenient when it comes to discipline as you've been told. We do have our standards." I turned to the rest of the officers present. "In any case, if there's nothing else, you're - "

"Lieutenant Colonel Cooper to bridge," a male voice over the shipboard COM said. "I repeat, Lieutenant Colonel Cooper to bridge. Report immediately."

I glanced up at the compartment's overhead out of reflex as I listened. Then I faced the room again. "Well, that's my cue. As I was saying, you're dismissed."

* * *

I all but ran for the closest elevator when I heard the call. My heart rate spiked and a million different possibilities went through my mind at once - not helpful for someone who was already plenty fearful and filled with anxiety about being aboard a ship in the first place.

I hated them. I was a grunt for a reason. I was all about fighting land battles with my boots on the ground - not getting blasted out of existence in the blink of an eye in a giant flying death trap.

And yes, it was funny because I'd married a pilot despite my own aversion to all things that lifted off the dirt.

But I had to wonder what purpose I could serve if the ship were truly under attack from an outside threat, without a chance of boarding. That made me calm down slightly, at least, but not nearly enough for me to get over the heart-dropping feeling.

When I finally made it to the bridge, I was immediately saluted by the ship's Chilean XO, Commander Martina Aròn, and a Navy lieutenant, both standing beside their CO.

He glanced up, and I saluted him.

"Captain Dakhati, Lieutenant Colonel Natalie Cooper reporting as ordered, sir."

As a Naval captain, had I still been a full colonel, we would have been the same rank; I'd only called Captain Prim "sir" during the trial because he was the presiding judge, not because he'd outranked me. And while Dakhati's word was law on the ship regardless, I wouldn't have had to use the honorific if I'd stayed an O-6.

But I wasn't. Not anymore.

Captain Zayn Dakhati gave me a barely perceptible nod as the lieutenant beside us made herself scarce. There were other junior officers on the bridge as well, but all were engrossed in their consoles and focused on their jobs. None were near enough to eavesdrop.

"At ease, Colonel," Dakhati said, and I relaxed my posture. "There's been a development I wanted to discuss with you. Martina?"

"Yes, sir." She looked at me then. "One of our comms officers picked up a message from our Sangheili envoy. The date has changed."

"To what?" I asked, a little confused. "I mean, when are they due now?"

"The rendezvous with the _Glory_ will take place in just a few hours, Cooper," Captain Dakhati answered. "They're four days ahead of schedule. I suggest you prepare your Marines. You've got a lot of work to do to get everything ready by then."


	17. Chapter 16: Blackout

Author's Note: Sorry this took a lot longer getting out than planned. Gaming/holidays/life got in the way, but it's finally here. Onward!

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen: Blackout**

Our escort ship arrived even earlier than our new projections had suggested - two hours after I'd met on the bridge with Captain Dakhati, I was back there again, standing beside him, his XO, and Lieutenant Commander Lloyd as we waited for the Elites' command group to board. I'd spent the intervening time below decks with Major Delaney, getting our Marines and vehicles and supplies organized. We'd been so busy that I hadn't even seen Willis off. My husband was somewhere out in the void surrounding us now, along with his air wing, ready and on-station just in case things went sideways. Trust between the species only went so far - and there was plenty here, outside of UNSC-occupied space, that we needed to look out for.

As I stood with my hands clasped behind my back, dressed in full uniform including my cover - but without any armor or weapons, besides my sidearm - I released a discreet sigh.

"What?" I heard over the COM bud in my ear. "Are they there already? I didn't even see their shuttle fly out to dock yet."

I snorted, smiling to myself a bit. "No. Just getting antsy, I guess."

"Don't be," he said in a purposefully chipper tone. "This'll be the smoothest transfer you've ever overseen in your career."

This time I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. "Have you been listening to one of those inspirational self-help audios lately? Because that sounds like a load of crap."

"Hey now, just trying to help."

"Mmhmm."

Our private channel went silent then, and I figured he was probably preparing his men for what was to come. Not a bad idea, considering. I would've done the same, but all my charges were still below deck with my XO, scrambling to get everything into place. As commander of the Marine contingent on board, I was up here for ceremony only.

Commander Lloyd, standing beside me, leaned in and whispered, "Any news from Major Hawk, ma'am?"

"Nope," I answered. "Why?"

He straightened again, but kept his voice low. "Just wondering if the Elites are almost here. I know it was him you were talking to."

"He, uh...didn't say."

"Oh. A personal conversation. Things are looking up then, huh?"

"For now." I kept my gaze on the partition to the bridge, presently still shut, and leaned in myself this time. "It's actually more like...we're dating. Do you have any idea how weird it is to _date_ someone you've been married to for a decade and a half? Because if not, let me tell you." Then I sighed. "But, it's a start. And it's been...surprisingly fun so far."

My friend smiled a bit. "Good to hear, ma'am. I knew you two would figure it out."

"Natalie?"

Startled by the interruption, I glanced around for half a second before realizing it was Willis again. "Yes?"

"Something's wrong."

His tone had changed. Gone was the playfulness, replaced now with a subtle urgency. That heightened my senses as well, and I looked out of one of the large windows on the bridge out of reflex. Predictably, the space outside between us and the approaching alien ship was too dark and too vast for me to make anything out without my helmet on.

I gestured to Captain Dakhati, standing several feet away, before asking Willis, "What do you see?"

"That's the issue, Coop. Nothing. There's no shuttle, no escort, not even the wing of Seraphs that was supposed to be out here. And the ship's getting closer. Their security detail at least should've been en route by now." He paused for a brief moment, then asked, "Orders?"

"Not my call, Will. I'll bring in Dakhati and he'll let us know."

The ship's captain was in front of me now, one eyebrow raised. "Colonel?"

"We've got a problem, sir," I said without preamble. "Our air commander is reporting no movement from the _Glory_."

"So?"

"So?" I couldn't believe I had to explain this, but I tried my best to keep an even tone. "Sir, with respect, protocol states that the Swords' air wing should've deployed by now. At this distance - "

He held up a hand to stop me. "Not to worry, Cooper. They're ahead of schedule. We just need to be patient."

"Respectfully, Captain, I believe - "

"We will wait another ten minutes," Dakhati said firmly, cutting me off again. "In the meantime, tell Hawk his job is to standby and _not_ to create unnecessary panic."

It was difficult for me to hold my tongue, but I did so and nodded. "Yes, sir."

I waited until the captain had resumed his position next to Commander Aròn once more, opposite Cal and I and out of earshot, before hailing Willis. "Orders are to standby, Major."

" _What?_ "

"That's from Dakhati, not me," I whispered. "Stay sharp."

"Yes, ma'am."

Beside me, Caleb heard what I'd said. I knew because of the sympathetic look he gave me. I ignored it, though, only because I could feel my heart pounding faster all of a sudden. I was worried for Willis, and I hoped he'd tell his pilots to remain vigilant, even if Dakhati was convinced it was nothing. If my husband truly thought something was up, I believed him - no question. Our instincts - in combat, at least - had yet to lead us astray after all these years. And that was definitely a big factor in our continued survival during wartime, when so many of our fellows had perished.

I wasn't planning on getting either of us killed today.

"Natalie, tell Dakhati we're moving ahead," Willis said then.

"Will, your orders are to - "

"I know. But I'm not going to just sit here and wait to get hit if this isn't what we think it is. And I strongly feel that it's a set up."

I opened my mouth to reply but nothing came out. For the first time in years, I was feeling a little out of my depth. I was no longer ranked high enough to oppose Dakhati's orders, even if I knew in my gut they were wrong. And shipboard and space action was outside my jurisdiction regardless. For now, I could truly do nothing but wait, and I abhorred it.

That sense that things had been spiraling out of control lately? Apparently not just limited to my life in garrison.

Lloyd glanced over again and our eyes met; I knew he'd have my back in a disagreement with the ship's captain. And if Dakhati did anything to screw over Willis and his pilots, I'd have no trouble speaking my mind. But things never got that far, because suddenly Willis's voice came through the shipboard COM on the bridge.

" _Stars_ , it's not the Swords!" he cried, and I tensed up and gripped the pistol on my hip out of reflex, still in its holster.

Captain Dakhati and Aròn both reacted with shocked faces. In the moment, neither did or said a word as Willis kept the channel open a second longer and issued orders to his pilots.

"Everyone, you're free to engage! Let's go!"

It was only after that that the captain seemed to return to the present. He quickly turned to Lloyd and I, and said, "Colonel - "

But we were already picking up our helmets and grabbing our gloves. I stuffed my cover inside one of my cargo pockets.

"Sir, I'll get the Marines ready for boarding action," I said, and moved on with the spook behind me. In my head, though, I added to myself, You _make sure you don't get my husband killed._

* * *

"That's why they were so early," Lloyd commented as we sprinted past confused Navy personnel on our way to the elevators. "Did Hawk say what he saw out there? Is it the Covenant? Jackals? _Prometheans_?"

"I know as much as you right now, Cal," I answered hurriedly as I waited for the elevator to appear. The doors opened with a _ding_ and we jumped inside, standing impatiently with hands gripping our helmets tight. I tapped a finger against my ear bud then and hailed my XO. "Delaney, change of plans. We've got an enemy vessel sitting outside. _Not_ the Swords. Our RV point's been compromised."

The major's response was surprised but fast. "Roger that."

"Get everyone geared up and we'll split off. Make sure we get a guard up on the bridge and a company per deck. Two for the hangar bays."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm with Commander Lloyd. We're hitting the armory and then we'll be down."

The connection cut but a light _ping_ sounded in my bud. He'd gotten the message. I turned back to Lloyd as soon as the elevator doors opened again and we stepped off, and I saw him trying to read and tap away on his datapad even as we ran.

"Seraphs," he said aloud. "Your husband and his air wing are fighting Seraphs outside. Not friendly, because _these_ ones fired at us. The Sangheili aren't happy about our presence here. Looks like they intercepted our correspondence with the Swords and found out when and where we were meeting. Beat 'em to us."

"Or someone fed them the info."

"Yes."

I shook my head, as I couldn't afford to tangle with that possibility right now. "Forward everything you've got to Dakhati. He'll take it from there."

"Right away, Colonel."

We reached the armory then and I went straight for the frag crate, picking up two grenades before pulling a nearby battle rifle off the rack. I stuffed as many extra mags in my cargo pockets and web belt as I could carry, clipped the frags on my person, and finally pulled on my helmet, armor, and gloves. Lloyd did the same.

"Let's hurry and get down there. This is bound to get interesting very soon."

* * *

Down in the cargo area, things were in complete chaos. Delaney and my Marines had had to pivot very quickly from getting ready to board a friendly alien vessel and transfer personnel and equipment to preparing for shipboard combat, and the jarring nature of the circumstances were clearly on display. Enlisted Marines were running around with gear only half on, helmets and in some cases even weapon holsters still in their hands, while I watched the officers trying their best to get them all organized.

"Marines, listen up!" I shouted, and most of the mess, at least, came to a halt. "We've encountered an enemy ship. Likely the Covenant. It's not the Swords and we won't be grouping up with them today. Stick with your lieutenants and captains, get your weapons ready, and move to your designated spots when you're told. Look sharp, and semper fi!"

"Oorah, Colonel!"

The throng began to move with more purpose. It was a good start, but we still needed to be ready fast. From my helmet this time, I opened a COM channel to my battalion commanders. "Majors, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. I've got orders and sectors to cover for each of you. Delaney?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You're to remain here in reserve, and to watch over the supplies and the belly of the ship, should it come to that."

"Understood."

"Major Mullen? Your battalion's got the mid and upper decks. Split into companies and you'll keep the levels clear if the Covies try to board through the airlocks."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Murphy?"

"Colonel?"

"Your batt has the hangar bays - starboard and port, half on each side. You've got right, I'll take left. Everyone, let's move!"

I didn't wait for the former Helljumper's response - there was too much to do and no time to waste, if things were truly going in the direction I thought they were. Things seemed to be finally settling into place now, with my Marines splitting off and making their way to their areas of the ship to defend...but even I couldn't anticipate what happened next.

About halfway up to our post - running up the metal stairwells now, not the elevators - the ship suddenly gave a groan and lurched as Dakhati made what I assumed were aggressive evasive maneuvers. That wasn't good. The deck literally disappeared beneath my boots and I was left attempting to climb up air, failing, and hitting the ground. Hard.

"Ma'am?" Lloyd asked, bracing himself on the step above us with his arm, weapon in hand. I shook my head.

"I'm fine," I answered, noticing that many of the other Marines were also rapidly picking themselves up from the deck to forge ahead. "Just...haven't had to use my sea legs in a while."

"Come on," a gruff voice said behind me, and then I was unceremoniously picked up from under my armpits to standing. "Two decks left to go, ma'am."

I turned to my left and saw Major Murphy, going up the steps two stairs at a time to make up for the lost minute. He was cradling his SMG in his hands, and I could tell he was itching for a fight.

Fortunately for him - and unfortunately for the rest of us - he was about to get it.

We'd just reached the landing on the next deck when a thundering blast threw everyone off their feet again. I shut my eyes and heard a sound like metal twisting and warping, then screams, then...nothing. And with my heart nearly thumping out of my chest, I knew what had happened.

We were in vacuum.

Thanks to training I reacted physically instead of emotionally, moving quickly to press the seals on my full-face helmet, gloves and boots before I was even really thinking. Then I ordered everyone else to do the same.

I took in a large breath once my HUD let me know my person was secure. I tried to focus on my rapid breathing, slowing it down so I didn't waste what little oxygen I had - fifteen minutes for standard shipboard uniforms. Just enough to have a chance for pick-up in situations like these. Nothing more.

Once my heart rate had steadied a bit, I got a look around as I drifted. We were in a debris field - pieces of dark metal and wires from our ship's breach surrounded us.

I was upside down. Or maybe right side up. Sideways. In space, it was almost impossible to orient yourself. But I knew I needed to stop my spin, and I needed to get my grip on something to return to the ship. I grabbed onto the nearest wire floating beside me, a thick cord, and pulled. It succeeded in bringing my momentum to a halt, but I found as I continued to tug on it that it led nowhere. That wasn't going to help.

Panic bubbled up again in my throat, especially when the next time I slowly turned I saw several bodies floating further beyond - Marines of mine that hadn't been fast enough sealing up their suits, and others who'd been killed outright by the blast. I had to swallow twice to center myself again.

And in the meantime, another thought formed: those of us who'd survived the breach were sitting ducks out here for the Seraphs.

I swallowed a third time and opened up my private connection to my husband again. In a voice much lower and shakier than I intended, I said, "Willis. The ship..."

"What?"

"We've been hit."


	18. Chapter 17: Shield

**Chapter Seventeen: Shield**

 **Time Unknown, July 3, 2561. In Formation Near UNSC Transport Ship _Face the Stars,_ En Route to Sanghelios. Day One of the Enemy of My Enemy**

The past several months hardly seemed real to Hawk. Through everything he and Cooper had endured as a couple over the years, he never could have predicted the series of events that had led them here, now.

She'd cheated on him with Ethan. Broken up, moved out, been demoted, and now...somehow, despite it all, they'd taken the first few steps to finding their way back to each other. It made him happy, and excited, but also apprehensive in some ways. Everything that came next would be a test for their relationship - to see if a reconciliation could really work. And admittedly, it had been great so far, but he knew they were still in the early stages. A lot could happen between now and the eventual outcome he hoped they'd achieve.

He also couldn't deny that a part of him was still hurt by what had occurred. Finding out about the kiss, along with Cooper's distant behavior on Puget, had been a tough blow - and once they'd gone home, the separation and the trial had just...exacerbated that. Cut it all open while the wound was still plenty raw. It had taken some long, hard thought into Natalie's remorse and changes to overcome that; to arrive at the idea that their marriage was perhaps salvageable after all, if they both wanted it enough and worked hard enough to save it.

As of now, he didn't regret his choice. He'd been much happier the last few weeks than he'd been during the miserable months they'd spent apart. In that time, he'd realized the damage they'd both done to each other, to their family, and he'd become ready to forgive his wife. But that didn't mean that the nagging thought that somehow their second chance might fail, too, didn't sometimes pop into his head.

Often at the worst times. Like now.

"Buddy, you gotta stop thinking about your girl," the major heard over the COM then, and he startled at first. Then smiled a bit.

"I can't," Willis replied, the giddiness clear in his voice. "I think I like dating my wife, man."

His best friend and wingmate, Captain Brandon Heat, snorted. "Well, just remember, she's got the wandering eye now."

"No, she doesn't," Hawk replied firmly. "Things back on Puget just...got out of hand."

"I know." His friend sighed over their private channel. "And if you've decided to forgive her, I guess I will, too. If I remember right, she stood by me through some pretty hard stuff as well."

"She did. She was ready to be your only pal after you almost killed me, so just...keep that in mind."

"Roger that. But if divorce is ever still on the table, I'm choosing you."

"Yup. Good to know."

Willis sincerely hoped it didn't come to that. He liked to think that he and Cooper were past that possibility now - or, at least, that it was further down the list. Only time would tell, though.

He did his best to rid his mind of the thought and, as he always did when he took flight, placed a gloved finger on the picture of his family taped to the cockpit. It was then that he noticed that Natalie's side of the image had been folded over to exclude her - something he'd done a while ago, in anger. He fixed that now, smoothing out the photo with both hands before returning to the task they'd been assigned.

 _Sit and wait for the Swords to arrive,_ he thought to himself as he and his air wing idled in space. _This shouldn't be boring at all._

Even though nothing was going on yet, Hawk thought it couldn't hurt to hail his pilots. "Ladies and gents, this is Flight Leader. Looks like we're on light duty today - just wait and watch. Still, keep an eye on your boards and send a ping right away if anything seems out of place. Talon out."

The major glanced at his console as acknowledgment lights winked green. Finally, in order to pass the time, he decided to open a private channel to his wife, still aboard the _Face the Stars_.

The first thing he heard her do was release a bored sigh. It almost made him chuckle.

"What?" he said to her. "Are they there already? I didn't even see their shuttle fly out to dock yet."

"No," came Cooper's equally amused reply. "Just getting antsy, I guess."

Hawk grinned wide, exaggerating his tone. "Don't be. This'll be the smoothest transfer you've ever overseen in your career."

They bantered back and forth a moment longer before the brief conversation ran out. Willis was sure she had plenty on her plate right now, so he didn't push. They hadn't even said goodbye to each other before Hawk had flown out here with his air wing. He couldn't remember that ever happening before, regardless of how busy they were - a testament to the fact that no matter what, things still weren't quite where they used to be.

"Hey Talon, you seeing this?"

"What's that, Snoopy?"

"Well...look," his friend answered. "The Elites' ship is just sitting there."

Major Hawk furrowed his brow. "No fighters out yet?"

"No, sir. Not that I can see."

"That's odd."

He double-checked what he was seeing on his boards, then decided to tell Cooper. She in turn relayed it to the _Stars_ ' CO, Captain Dakhati, but Willis frowned when it was clear that the naval officer didn't share their trepidation.

 _Fine,_ Hawk decided. _I'm taking matters into my own hands, then._ Ultimately, it was up to him to keep his men and women alive.

"87th, this is Flight Leader. Prepare for possible engagement, and let's start fanning out."

Even as he pushed forward gently on the controls of his Broadsword, Hawk began to feel in his gut that he and Heat were right. There was nothing normal about this - they were here to board a friendly Sangheili vessel, for God's sake. The fact that the ship in front of them hadn't immediately signaled its ID to them was already a red flag. Now that the contact protocol the species had agreed to wasn't being followed...it left no doubt in the major's mind that this was a trap.

And that was before Seraphs suddenly began pouring out of the hangar bays, directly in front of and underneath the ship.

"This is good, right?" Heat said over their connection. "I mean, they're supposed to deploy their detail before - "

"No," Willis responded almost instantly. "It's not them." He switched to the general channel, making sure the personnel aboard the UNSC ship could hear him, too. " _Stars_ , it's not the Swords!" he shouted. "Everyone, you're free to engage! Let's go!"

The first enemy streaks of plasma filled his starry field of vision then, coming awfully close to the right flank of his air wing's formation. That was enough for Hawk to issue his next order, only to his pilots this time.

"Split up by squadrons and return fire, now!"

Rapidly, whole sections of his air wing began peeling off and joining the fray. Two crafts on the side weren't fast enough, however, and became the first casualties of the fight. Hawk saw the twin explosions in his peripheral vision as he maneuvered.

 _Shit._

None of them had been expecting this. That much was clear.

 _Always hope for the best but anticipate the worst,_ he thought, surprising himself with his pessimism. It was new. _It's what happens when your iron-clad marriage of fourteen years nearly breaks._

And it's what his craft almost did as well, as a hot lance of plasma came at him in the dark, forcing him to rapidly jerk his controls out of the way.

"All right, bogie," he said to himself in the cockpit, concentrating fully now. "Let's do this."

"I got your back, brother," Heat told him via COM.

"Always," Willis returned.

Hawk knew that beyond taking the Seraphs out, he also needed to keep them away from the ship. So he quickly pushed his controls downward, sending his Broadsword rushing away from the Seraph attacking him, hoping it would go off course and follow.

It did.

Willis smirked. "All right. Now we're talking."

Quickly he jerked the controls again, sending his F-41 into an elaborate spiral. It was a move he made in anticipation of the Seraph opening fire on him again - and he wasn't disappointed.

 _Never fly straight down when you've got the enemy on your tail,_ he recalled from flight school. The g-forces were another matter, though, and he knew he couldn't handle much more plus the spinning, or he'd puke and pass out. That's where Heat came in.

"Ready, Snoopy?" he asked over the COM.

"Ready!" his wingmate yelled.

Willis took in a sharp breath as he spun gracefully out of his final turn, then suddenly flew up. It confused the Seraph, just long enough to make the pilot realize that Hawk was no longer in front of him, and by the time the alien tried to correct course, Heat was on its six. The major watched on his boards as the enemy craft disappeared from his screen an instant later.

"Woo!" Brandon whooped. "The dynamic duo is back, baby!"

Hawk smiled, too, but still chided his friend. "Save it, Heat. We've got plenty more to go. Let's make sure they don't get through to our ship."

"Yes, sir."

Despite the circumstances, Willis had to admit that a part of him was glad to be back. There was nothing quite like dogfighting in space for a seasoned pilot.

As always with fights like these, he put his Broadsword through the paces, chasing after Seraphs just as often as he flew past them to get them to follow – eventually outmaneuvering them for the kill. Sometimes he'd blast them into debris with a single well-placed shot, and others he and his wingmate took them down together, a one-two punch that was impossible for the enemy to overcome. They'd been flying together long enough that in flight, at least, they'd almost become an extension of one another. It was a synergy not many other pairs had, and part of why they were among the best.

Hawk had just boosted past his latest target, only to loop around wide and turn back. The Seraph pilot was smart, though, and tried to fly up at him to meet him, hoping to catch him off guard, but Willis's thumb was already on the trigger of his missile suite.

"See ya."

A brief but brilliant flash of light emanated in front of him where the Seraph had been just a moment ago. It went from white to soft blue to gray before the darkness of space returned, showing him only purple wreckage on his flight path now. He flew through it before hailing the rest of his pilots.

"Squadron leads, sound off," he called out.

" _Stars_ is fine so far, Flight Leader!" his XO, Captain Connor Adrian, replied. "We're taking 'em down, slowly but surely, and no one's gotten through so far."

"Excellent. Let's keep it that way."

Willis checked his boards again and found himself in a momentary reprieve. He took a deep breath after the insane rush of the last several minutes and pressed two fingers against his family's picture. _You're safe,_ he thought as he glanced at his four kids, smiling back. _And so's your mom._

Or at least that's what he thought. The next sound he heard – a shrill alarm from his console – came with a flashing red light, and sent his pulse skyrocketing. Without even realizing it, he yanked on his controls and sent himself immediately into a zigzagging flight pattern, thinking he'd been locked in on. But that wasn't the case, and it became apparent when he saw no one was chasing him.

 _Oh, no. No._

That meant the Covenant ship itself was gearing up for an attack.

Hawk scrambled to get back on the COM to his air wing. "Everyone disperse, _now_!"

In the moment he thought of Cooper, too, but he wasn't quick enough to warn her – or to send a message to the _Stars_ ' bridge. He just had to trust that Captain Dakhati would react fast enough.

All he could do was watch as the enormous salvo sped towards their UNSC transport. His heart rate spiked again, thinking of the pilots who'd be vaporized in its path – and the fact that Natalie might become a victim as well.

But she didn't. Because apparently, Dakhati performed a miracle; he'd gotten the _Stars_ to move in time. The enemy round missed.

Willis sagged against his seat for a long second. Luck really was on their side. _That was close,_ he thought to himself. _Way, way too close._ He opened his mouth to call out to his wing, but Heat's voice flooded the COM.

"Oh, shit! Talon, the ship's gearing up again. Second salvo coming in hot!"

Major Hawk had no time to react, as two Seraphs came swooping in just then, another huge, brilliant flash speeding past them in the dark. He maneuvered to his flank, away from the blast and away from the smaller enemy crafts gunning for him. From this position he could no longer see the UNSC ship – but seconds later, he found out the hard way that the second salvo had indeed found its target.

He'd just blown past the first Seraph, now part of the growing mass of debris out in space, when his Broadsword was forced off course by an intense wave of energy. He grit his teeth and held onto his flight controls tight, stabilizing the craft again shortly, but his heart pounded even faster.

 _That hit,_ he thought in alarm. _Natalie's –_

"Cavalry's here!" Heat called out then, and Hawk saw him jet past in his own craft, easily destroying the other Seraph that had been tailing him. Willis released a tiny sigh of relief, but it was short-lived.

"Snoopy," he said to his buddy, his voice nearly coming in gasps now from the fight. "The _Stars_ got hit. We need to - "

"Willis."

The single word cut through his wingmate's transmission, and sent both warmth and anxiety rushing through Hawk at once. It was Cooper. She was okay.

But their ship very clearly wasn't.

"We've been hit," she announced, confirming what he already knew. He started to respond as much, but her voice sounded different. It was tense and trembling. Something was off.

"Natalie? What's wrong?"

It took her a while to respond.

"Uh, nothing. I'm just…we're just…"

"Cooper?"

"Well…I'm not exactly _in_ the ship anymore. Our deck was breached. Some made it, but others..." He heard her swallow and go on before he could reply. "We need your guys' help, Will. Without any cover out here, we're - "

"Fucked," he finished, and he was surprised when she managed a strained chuckle.

"Yep. Yeah. So…send help."

"Already on it."

He was also surprised at how calm he sounded during their exchange. He certainly didn't feel that way on the inside. His wife was currently out in _space_. Even with his love of flying - and of zero-gee combat especially - he couldn't imagine that wasn't frightening.

And it was going to be tough to coordinate a rescue now as well, with a space battle between ships and starfighters going on at the same time. _But Natalie and her Marines are in trouble. We'll find a way._

"87th, this is Flight Leader," Hawk said over the general channel then. " _Stars_ , you're receiving this as well. We've got a group of Marines out in vacuum near the ship. Kilo and Victor Squadrons, form up around 'em and keep those Seraphs away from our friendlies. Do it quick, and do it now. The rest of you, stay on course."

As acknowledgment lights winked green on his console, Willis tried to hail his wife again.

"Natalie? Can you still hear me?"

"Yeah," she said, though her voice already sounded fainter. "I don't want to waste oh-two on conversation, though."

"Right. How long do you have?"

"About ten minutes left, I'm guessing."

Willis shut his eyes tight at the information, but somehow managed to keep his voice steady, for her sake. "Okay. I just wanted to let you know that we're on it. We've got your six."

"Thanks."

He took in a deep breath. "And I know you won't admit it, but I know you're scared. It'll be okay." He softened his tone even more then. "I'm here, Coop. You're not alone."


	19. Chapter 18: Space Walk

**Chapter Eighteen: Space Walk**

I was running out of time.

That much became clear as the air inside my helmet thinned. It was getting harder to breathe by increments - and for the briefest of seconds, I wondered what, of all the current options, would kill me first.

I shut my eyes and saw my kids' faces, and was nearly overwhelmed with despair.

 _Stop it_ _, Cooper,_ I urged myself, forcing my mind to remain in the present. _You've got to find a way._

My eyes snapped open again, and I was determined to move. I'd gotten the message out to Willis that we needed aid. The rest was up to me.

As I rotated slowly, I put some effort into rolling harder to the side. After the initial breach I'd needed to stop my momentum to ensure I didn't end up too far from the ship - or get flung into any larger pieces of debris. For now, though, I needed to try to get to any lifeline I could to get back to the _Stars_.

I floated around, searching frantically for something, _anything_ I could use. The other survivors around me seemed to be doing the same; I worried about them, too - especially Cal - but I realized pretty quickly that I could do nothing for my men if I wasn't alive myself. And in this position, there wasn't much I could instruct them to try, either, other than doing exactly what I was: attempting to reach the ship.

Still, I thought they should at least know that help was on the way.

"This is Cooper," I said, trying to keep the transmission as short as possible. I coughed from the lack of air, and the effort of moving in vacuum, but then took a small breath and went on. "Air support and rescue is on the way. Keep at efforts to reach the air locks. Don't know how long evac'll take. We've got ten."

That was as much as I could do. I cut the connection then, beginning to get lightheaded, and I knew I only had enough air for one-word answers from here on out. Those I'd have to save for our eventual rescue - if we got that far.

 _We will. Just have to keep trying._

Somehow in my awkward rotation, a wandering piece of metal bumped me forward - it was small enough that the impact didn't hurt, but large enough that it got me moving again. Not in the direction of the ship, but maybe something just as useful: a thick black cable swaying in front of me. I reached out to grab it, missed, then swiped my gloved hand out a second time.

I got it.

My heart swelled in momentary elation, but I found that the small victory wasn't going to last. In the next instant, I felt a wave of energy suddenly crash into me from behind, and I was sent flying again.

I managed to hold onto the large cable as I swung, but only barely. I gripped it tightly with both hands and willed myself to keep steady. My breathing was coming in gasps, not only from the diminishing air, but also from the cold stab of panic that hit me. I missed being able to hear my environment around me, something other than my own rapid intake of oxygen and the roar of my pulse in my ears. Without my hearing I had no idea what had caused the shuddering blast this time...until I turned around.

"Oh, shit!"

A pair of Seraphs had made it past Willis's lines and were gunning for us, just as I'd feared might happen. His pilots were good, of that I had no doubt, but it was impossible to maintain control of everything at all times - especially in space, where there were no chokepoints to utilize, no barricades, and no backup to keep the enemy at bay.

The sudden blast behind me? One of our own Broadswords, whose obliterated wreckage now also sped quickly our way.

"Watch out!"

I heard the warning cry over the radio - a male pilot my brain unconsciously registered as Willis's XO - but I had truly no idea what I could even do to try to evade. My only recourse in the moment was to curl myself up into a ball around the rope, making a smaller target, and hope to hell I didn't get hit.

Nothing ran into me, but something definitely impacted the cable. Hard. My heart rate spiked again as I was flung backward towards our ship. And now the cable was gone.

I shut my eyes tight and tried not to yell out. Rather than the ship being my salvation, I knew it was likely going to be my end. I'd be an ugly splatter on the side of the _Stars,_ if I didn't act fast.

In the final moment, I made a last desperate grab with my hands...

...And suddenly, I stopped.

I wasn't sure what happened at first, until I looked down and saw the cable again. For a minute, I was downright astonished that my body was still intact.

After blinking a few times to make sure I was really here and mobile, I finally glanced up. In front of me was our ship. I let out a shaky breath and eased close enough to press my boots onto the metal, then reached down to engage the magnetic lock on the soles. For better or for worse, I was stuck now.

Emotion went through me as I struggled to take in air - this time because of the scare. Something like a relieved whimper escaped me.

"Natalie? _Natalie!_ "

It was Willis. He sounded beside himself, and I didn't really blame him. I'd been sure I was a goner.

"Here," was all I said in response.

I held on tightly to the cable as I took in a steadying breath...and decided I'd never hated ships so much in my life.

* * *

There was no time to collect myself, even after the close call. We still had the problem of the Seraphs to deal with - along with the whole not-having-air thing.

Right now, my last remaining seven minutes of oxygen worried me less than the enemy aircraft blasting away at our pilots. And us.

There wasn't a whole lot I could do from my position, but I was a Marine, and we were a resourceful bunch. I couldn't hear the enemy rounds coming in, although I did see the brief flashes of light from the plasma emissions, but I decided not to let that deter me. There would be no warning if I got hit - and if I did, I'd be dead instantaneously. So I didn't see a reason to dwell on it, as terrifying as the idea was.

My hands still shook as I used a combination of the rifle on my back and my grip on the cable to maneuver forward. Overriding the lock on my boots required more effort than simply lifting my feet, and I had to be sure to choose my route carefully, as much as I was able. A quick but calculated step at a time, and using my rifle's sling to pull myself up on destroyed parts of the deck, I made my way back inside. Sort of.

"Inside" in this case was still a mostly-destroyed-and-barely-hanging-together part of the deck we'd been on, and still in vacuum. But even getting this close, and no longer being at the mercy of the vastness of space, was comforting.

So was the fact that other Marines had made it. I decided to risk one of my last remaining chances at speech, hoping a certain spook was among them.

"Cal?"

Some fifty meters or so ahead of me, hanging upside down from an exposed beam, I saw two rapid flashes of light. Relief washed over me.

I wanted to ask him about the others when another harsh wave of energy hit. I braced myself against the cable but it nearly blew me into the ship, and the strain on my locked-in ankles was immense. Pain quickly radiated up my body, and made reacting fast hard.

I saw that the energy source was a Phantom, boosting past us. I figured the two Seraphs from earlier must've been its escorts to get behind our lines. That wasn't good.

The Covenant were dropping troops on us now, too.

"Weapons up!"

The two words were all I could manage as I quickly reached for my gun and fired into the newly arrived cluster of zero-gee Elites. Certainly there were more of them than us, but right now I couldn't afford to get lost in that. My first trio of bullets landed on target but hit the alien's shields, making them flicker, and I noticed he'd ducked out of the way with the jetpack on its back, making one end of it flare.

 _Dammit._ Not only were we outnumbered, but they had full maneuverability out here as well.

As if the Seraphs and being in vacuum weren't enough.

"Need assist!" I broadcast on the general channel, hoping to get the attention of both Willis and Dakhati back on the ship, but I couldn't say more than that without compromising my air. Movement was taking up all my extra oxygen, and the meter in my HUD read just four minutes left.

Making sure to hold on tight to my gun, I wound part of the cable around my middle, not wanting to send myself flying back out into the blackness again, and decided that unfortunately in this case, I'd have to take the trade-off of being a stationary target. When I was done I brought the same Elite back in my sights, fired again, and was rewarded with the sight of several large clumps of dark purple blood erupting into the starry background.

Other Marines joined me, and we did our best to stem the tide of zero-gee fighters. I raised my rifle again and aimed for another Elite's back, pulling the trigger three times. His jetpack finally burst, sending pieces of equipment and alien rushing into a third bastard like projectiles and killing both. I couldn't say I wasn't excited about my two-for-one, but there were plenty more descending on us now, and we were taking casualties.

Just below Cal I watched a Marine get pegged by a plasma shot, ripping through his shoulder. He let out a scream over the COM, and although it wouldn't have been a fatal hit aboard ship, out here, he was as good as dead. I saw Caleb try to dart down to grab him, to patch the breach in his suit before his oxygen ran out, but it was no use. The Marine was shot a second time in the chest, and that ended any slim chances of saving him.

Inside my helmet I cursed. I wanted to tell Cal to watch it, to not compromise his own precarious position, but at this point I could do little except hope everyone looked out for themselves to some degree.

A short script started flashing at the top of my HUD then. Two minutes.

 _Come on,_ I thought, gritting my teeth as I brought my rifle to bear once more. _Come on._..

Suddenly everything happened at once. An Elite close by fired three shots in quick succession, burning black stains into the _Stars_ ' broken hull just to the side of me. I quickly returned fire, bringing the son of a bitch down before he could get me, then risked disengaging the lock on my boots to avoid more incoming fire from yet another source. I slung my rifle behind my back, needing both hands to grip the cable so I wasn't lost again, and rapidly reached down for my sidearm.

I was able to grab it, but overcompensated to keep steady. The rotation sent me spiraling head over feet away from the _Stars_ , and my hold on my lifeline slipped.

 _No,_ I panicked. _No, no, no -_

The cable was gone again. I was in space without a backup. I needed to -

A pair of strong arms pulled me up from the back of my torso armor then. The panicked feeling intensified, as I thought it was an Elite, and I suddenly envisioned my neck being forcibly separated from my body.

I flailed.

Next thing I knew my ass was hitting a hard deck. I stopped and sat there a moment, very confused.

"Welcome aboard, Colonel," a Navy crewman said to me. "UNSC Pelican 304, at your service."

The back hatch into the troop bay closed, and I gasped as the sailor helped me take off my helmet.

"Ma'am, I'll give you a sec so you can orient yourself, but you're going to need this back on in a minute," he said to me. "Got several more pick-ups to go."

I blinked and then breathed in deep in the pressurized environment, not quite digesting the fact that I was saved yet. And that I could finally hear my surroundings again.

"What's - how - ?"

"We always keep a rescue squadron in reserve, ma'am," the pilot answered from the intercom. I didn't recognize her voice, but I was sure as hell grateful to her. "As of now, we've got six Pelicans out to get your men."

 _But..._ "The Seraphs? Elites?"

The crewman in front of me winked. "Don't worry, ma'am. We got 'em." He handed me my helmet back. "Now, please get this back on, Colonel. Trust me, you'll need that last minute of oh-two you've got left."

I did as he said and pulled it on, hating the fact that I needed it to breathe again.

There was a sharp _thunk_ on the deck, and I turned to face the crewman, back in his helmet like me.

"Mag lock engaged? You might want to tether up, too."

I quickly did so, and yet I still wasn't prepared for the rush of vacuum and its enormous pull when the hatch opened once more. I saw the crewman all but jump out to grab another Marine as the craft passed, and he managed, but only barely. The dropship rocked beneath us, and my subordinate was thrown sideways into the bench seats.

The crewman regained his footing and reached out. "My apologies, sir. We're still taking evasive maneuvers."

Our latest arrival sat up, then held up a hand. "No need, Petty Officer. Thanks for the save."

A corner of my lips curved fast at the sound of his voice. "Cal!"

"Yes, ma'am," he confirmed, releasing a tense breath I was sure each of us felt by now. He pulled off his helmet and gloves after strapping in, then ran a tired - and trembling - hand through his short, dark brown hair. It was his left one, and I saw the light briefly reflect off his wedding ring. "I never, _ever_ want to do that again."

"Me, either, buddy," I replied, feeling just as drained as I sunk back against the deck, legs half-sprawled before me. "Me either."


	20. Chapter 19: Unsteady

Author's Note: Ch. 18 has been edited. Thanks for keeping me humble. ;)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen: Unsteady**

Being back on the ship was a relief, but it was short-lived. It seemed I'd traded in one dire situation for another - we were still under attack from the Covenant ship.

Alarms were blaring everywhere upon our return to the hangar bay.

"Hull breach, Deck Six," the _Stars'_ dumb AI announced with eerie calm. "Affected area sealed. Keep clear."

"Wasn't planning on heading back there anyway," I muttered under my breath. We'd definitely taken a more scenic route, but the surviving Marines and I had actually ended up right where we needed to be.

Caleb looked at me as we stood on the deck after disembarking, holding his helmet in one hand. Other Marines from the remainder of the flights - and ours - moved around us. "Ma'am? What are your orders?"

I paused for a moment to think - not easy to do in the chaos. I still felt shaky from our time out in vacuum, but did my best to hide it and push past it. After taking a deep breath, I responded, "First thing's first, Cal. I need to check who made it. Then we'll get to our original stations."

"Yes, ma'am."

I pulled on my helmet again as the spook moved on. I knew exactly who to hail.

"Murphy? It's Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. Please respond."

"Here, ma'am," came the immediate reply.

"Good." There was no love lost between us, but I was glad he was okay - and also glad we hadn't lost one of our top officers in the breach. "What's your roster look like?"

"You mean after that shitshow in space?" He snorted and took a minute to answer. "Thirteen lost, Colonel. I'm still getting the details as to who, but that blast took out the most. A handful weren't fast enough sealing up their suits. The Elites took care of the last two."

"Understood." The news wasn't good, but could have easily been a lot worse. I felt for those who'd been killed in such a terrible way, but knew I needed to focus my efforts on those who remained. We weren't out of this yet. "All right. Rally up the rest and get to the starboard bay, Major. Now. We've got to get things back on track."

"Yes, ma'am."

As I glanced out at the vast hangar, I spotted the former Helljumper walking over to a subordinate and then rush out the bay, back into the corridor of the ship. Several dozen Marines followed.

 _It's time I get my group going, too,_ I thought, and pulled my rifle off my back, keeping the barrel pointed down as I pushed through the mass of UNSC servicemen and women in the place.

"Marines, on me!" I shouted. "Start splitting off by platoons and let's get this bay secure and ready for incoming! Move!"

I was anticipating more Phantoms arriving shortly to assault the hangars. What I didn't count on was the ship taking another hit from the larger enemy vessel - a very _minor_ detail that had completely left my mind in the confusion. The _Stars_ shuddered underneath us, before we'd even had a chance to prepare, and I was suddenly thrown backward into the side of one of the idling Pelicans.

For a while, that was it for me.

When I came to my head was pounding. And though I didn't think it possible, even more alarms were sounding now throughout the bay. In the noisy mess, I wasn't able to orient myself right away.

"Colonel? Colonel Cooper?"

My brain felt foggy, and I answered with a groan.

"Lieutenant Colonel!"

I finally registered the voice as Commander Aròn's, surprising me. "Y-yes. I'm here. Go ahead."

"The captain is currently engaged in the fighting," she said quickly. "But he wanted me to get a sitrep from you. You've returned aboard ship?"

"That's...affirmative." I turned and braced myself against the side of the dropship, trying to stand back up as I spoke. "Nothing else going on down here so far." I winced as I pushed up on my legs, sore from the zero-gee action. "We're mostly just...getting knocked around by your driving."

Under different circumstances, I thought she would have chuckled. "That might soon change, Cooper. Dakhati has something up his sleeve. Tell your Marines to brace themselves and standby."

In this case I deferred to the naval officer's expertise. I didn't even have my men bother with anti-boarding procedures, per Dakhati's orders. We simply waited. I was sure if we got any trouble our way in the form of Covenant fighters, Willis would warn me.

The ship moved again beneath us, but this time we were ready. Everyone had their mag locks engaged on their boots, just in case, and we all kept a tight grip on the mesh webbing that extended fully on one side of the hangar, up against the bulkhead. When the _Stars_ gave another violent lurch - what I assumed to be a more aggressive evasive maneuver than before - we swung a little but stayed in place, hoping and praying that what was out there in the void didn't blast us all to pieces.

As nothing but boots on the ground, there was only so much we could do on our end out here. Right now, it was up to the bridge crew.

Ten whole minutes passed, but it felt more like hours as the ship roiled, boosted, and then fired its weapons. I started to get a little green from all the movements, and my muscles were getting tired. Not knowing what was going on outside didn't help, either. A few around me did retch - maybe from anxiousness, seasickness, or both.

After a while, I realized I was holding my breath. I slowly let it out when I heard a loud _whoop_ over the general channel. My heart sank when I realized it wasn't who I thought.

"All right! Direct hit!" Willis's second-in-command shouted.

I should've been happy about that, but in the moment, I was left only with dread.

"Adrian?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Fear crept in as I wondered why it was him - and not my husband - giving us all the update. I swallowed, barely able to get the words out. "Is Wi - Major Hawk - "

The ship tilted again and I nearly lost my grip. I acted fast, engaging the mag lock again, and that's what saved me from sliding down the deck. As soon as I was upright, I tried again. "What's the major's status?"

"Fine, Colonel. Just busy picking off stragglers now. We had to work to keep a couple more Phantoms from getting to the bay while the _Stars_ maneuvered."

I released a long sigh of relief. "Thanks."

"No problem, ma'am. It's what we're here for. Adrian out."

* * *

Once the worst of the nightmarish merry-go-round was over, I instructed my Marines to set up behind the barricades inside the hangar, just in case. Thankfully, though, we never had to deal with any on-board action. That was fine by me, as I'd had enough close calls - both inside and outside today - without navigating that, too. We were left in the figurative dark for a while after that, wondering what was going on and the status of our ship, when finally Captain Dakhati's voice came over the shipboard COM.

"Everyone, this is the captain," he said. "The Covenant ship has been destroyed."

All the Marines around me cheered. Somehow, Dakhati had pulled it off. I nearly sagged in relief.

"Good work to all our sailors, pilots, and Marines. Flight Leader, come on home."

* * *

I didn't know why, but I was suddenly nervous as I waited for the Broadswords to return. I'd issued my orders to my men after the fight, and operations started winding down, but there was still plenty of ruckus in the hangar bay. After being on high alert outside in vacuum, and again as we'd remained vigilant for attacks inside the bay, I was finally able to pull of my helmet and get some air - calmly, without fear of a continued assault. It was a good feeling.

I ran a hand over my put-up hair then and realized I still had my gloves on. I quickly tugged them off my fingers and was almost surprised when I glanced down at my left hand and didn't see a ring. There hadn't been one there for months now, but its absence still felt strange. It made my anxiety about seeing Willis soon intensify.

It seemed that no matter what, I couldn't escape the fact that despite recent encouraging developments, many things between us were different now.

I hadn't said goodbye to him before he'd left, and it made me feel a little down now, despite the victory. He could've been killed at any time out there - by the enemy ship, an explosion, a wayward shot in the dark. I'd almost died myself in a blast on the ship, and then out in space, and nearly inside here again. It truly dawned on me that if either of us had bit the big one, that would've been the end. With no last words spoken between us.

A lump formed in my throat. I wondered what bay he'd even be coming in from.

I stood on the port side of the deck for a long while, and when I realized he wasn't coming, that he'd probably already landed on the other side and I'd missed my chance to welcome him back, my heart sank even lower.

With my helmet in one hand and gloves in the other, rifle slung behind my back, I turned to go.

And was met face-to-face with Willis. He gave me a tired grin.

"Natalie."

I wasn't even able to react to his presence; he quite literally swept me off my feet. And before I could process what was happening, he took my face in both his hands and kissed me.

Hard. Right in the middle of the whole damn hangar.

Caught up in the moment, I kissed him back.

"Don't do that to me again, Cooper," he said, hugging me tightly. "No more space walks for you, okay?"

I smiled a bit, though the last hour or so had left me rattled enough that that was as far as I'd go. "That's fine with me. I could live a lifetime without experiencing _that_ again."


	21. Chapter 20: Yesterday's Enemy

**Chapter Twenty: Yesterday's Enemy**

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it, ladies and gentlemen. We're living on borrowed time."

It wasn't the way any of us were hoping the briefing would begin, but I didn't think it was all that surprising, given the nature of the attack the _Face the Stars_ had just endured. As I stood back against the bulkhead, opposite the holotable all the senior officers aboard ship were clustered around - including Captain Dakhati, Commander Aròn and my XO, myself, Willis, and Lieutenant Commander Lloyd - I folded my arms across my chest. What I really wanted now right after the fighting was some hot chow and a shower, but we had more pressing matters to deal with first - like how the Covenant had known we were here, why they'd chosen to go after us, and how and when we could rendezvous with the Swords now that our meeting place had been compromised.

And of course, there was the issue of us being inside a damaged ship.

"The _Stars_ took a sizable hit in our skirmish with the Covenant," the captain said. "Half the stairwell between Decks Five and Six was demolished, and an entire segment of Six had to be sealed off, as it's now open to vacuum. For all intents and purposes, we are flying with a gaping wound." He released a sigh, staring at the shut-off holotable. "Our temporary patch-up job will work for now, but I'm not sure it will hold until our scheduled rendezvous with the Swords. Not without more extensive repairs."

Everyone took a moment to digest that. When no one seemed to be breaking the silence, I decided to go for it.

"So what's the plan, sir?" I asked.

Dakhati gestured to Lloyd. "I'll let the spook answer that one."

My buddy gave the ship's captain a small nod and stepped forward. "I've just been given the go-ahead from HighCom to give those of you in this room - and us alone - this information. We currently have a contact on the ground on Sanghelios. A human, one of us," he clarified before anyone could ask. "He's keeping an eye out on the situation there, and the various factions, so that we're not going in blind when we land."

On the far left, closer to Dakhati, I saw my husband tense up. I think both our minds went to exactly the same place - the contact had to be a spook, given the nature of the mission, and only one name seemed the most obvious choice. Except I knew for a fact that my ex wouldn't be there. Or so he'd said.

I hoped for my marriage's sake it was someone else.

"He also sent along some intel during the attack," Caleb went on, ignorant of the silent bomb that had gone off between Willis and I. "He let us know our RV point and messages to the Swords had been compromised, which is how the Covenant found us." The ONI officer turned to face Dakhati again. "Sir?"

"You're wondering what we're doing to combat this," Captain Dakhati surmised. "We're in the process of setting up a new meeting point with our Sangheili allies - place, date, and time. It will be handled quickly, given our status, but will no longer be discussed via any official channels. It'll be taken care of in person by our UNSC contact on the surface, to avoid interception. He will speak to only one senior member of the group, and orders and details will be issued on a need-to-know-basis only, and with as little lead time as we can get away with."

"That should help if there's a mole," Commander Aròn added, and Dakhati nodded.

"Yes, which is our primary suspicion at this time. Any questions?"

"Yes, sir," Willis said. "What are our orders in the meantime?"

"And when's the new rendezvous?" Major Delaney wanted to know.

"Orders are largely the same, Major Hawk, with the exception of additional Marines and pilots being placed on standby at all times," Dakhati answered. "We'll have two companies on rotation instead of one, and three squadrons at the ready instead of two. We may also run a brief flight pattern around the ship at odd intervals, just in case."

The captain motioned to his XO, and Commander Aròn took the lead. "As for our new RV point, we've received confirmation that it will happen in the next two to three days. We have not firmed up a time, but we do have a location, hopefully beyond prying eyes. More information will follow as we get closer."

"What about the repairs?" I asked. I hated being inside perfectly _functional_ ships, of any kind - a structurally questionable one was definitely not my cup of tea. Especially after my harrowing experience in space. As soon as possible, I wanted out.

Captain Dakhati nodded again. "Good question. I have spoken with our senior technicians and engineers; we should be able to hold off on any large-scale fixes comfortably for two days. More than that is ill-advised, however, so we are counting on the Swords arriving early rather than late."

I stood back and frowned. It was a gamble then, with all our lives. I didn't like it. Although I wasn't sure what else could be done for us this far outside UNSC-occupied space. We were in enemy territory now for sure. The Swords showing up early was just about all we could bank on.

"Anything further?" Dakhati asked then. No one raised any other concerns. "Very well. Continue your preparations with your pilots and Marines. Aròn will get the altered schedule out to Colonel Cooper and Major Hawk shortly. You're dismissed." He glanced over at the spook. "Commander Lloyd, please remain a moment longer."

As the rest of us filed out, I watched the ship's XO return to the bridge - it was just down the corridor from the briefing room. Major Delaney came out next.

"Well...I hope you've got your fingers crossed that this bucket holds together, Colonel."

I chuckled nervously. "Here's hoping, right?"

Delaney shook his head. "All due respect to the captain, ma'am, but I don't understand how that's a _plan_. But, I guess I can't say we're not used to living on the edge in our line of work."

"Yup. Some more than most."

"I heard you were caught in the breach. That must've been...terrifying."

"You have no idea."

"Major Delaney," a voice said beside us then. "Mind if I borrow the colonel for a sec?"

My XO gestured with his hand and stepped back. "Not at all, Hawk. She's all yours." He gave me a slight nod of acknowledgment, then turned to go.

Willis and I came to a halt in the passageway while my second-in-command moved on. My husband waited until Delaney was out of earshot before turning to face me. Then he folded his arms across his chest.

"An ONI contact on the surface?" he asked in an even tone. I immediately held my hands up.

"I don't know anything about that, Will. Honest. If it _is_ Ethan, then he lied to me." I let out a quick breath. "The last time we talked, when we were still on base on Mars - when we said goodbye - he told me he was off this mission. Permanently."

"Right." My husband's tone hardened. "And are we above thinking that little prick might not do something like _lie_ to your _face_?"

"I...no. I don't know." I threw my hands up again and met his gaze. "I don't know, Will," I repeated. "I'm not sure what else I can say. He was court-ordered to be transferred, and that should be that."

Willis said nothing for a while as we stood there. His expression gave nothing away, except for the fact that he was obviously troubled by the possibility. His arms were still folded tight.

"Okay," he finally said. He seemed to deflate and released a long sigh before looking at me. "It sounds like it's...probably not him. And if it is, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

I nodded slowly. "All right."

He surprised me then by gently pulling up my chin and giving me a quick kiss, now that we were alone in the corridor. "We better get back to it, Coop."

I stood there a moment longer as he walked away, still reeling. At the fight, the news...everything. Most of all, I wondered who exactly we'd be encountering once we touched down on the Elites' homeworld.

* * *

Apparently, the Swords of Sanghelios were nothing if not true to their word, which was promising. Two days later, the announcement came straight from the bridge over the shipboard COM.

"Attention all: friendly Sangheili vessel on approach. Officers, get to your assigned posts, and prepare your men and women for transfer."

I was below decks with Delaney and all our cargo when I heard Dakhati's voice. My XO looked over at me right away.

"Go time, huh?"

"Looks like it. You've got things down here?"

"Yes, ma'am. We'll be ready."

I gave him a curt nod and took off at a jog towards the elevators, hoping this time would be for real - and that we weren't running into yet another trap.

Things seemed to be going better this time. Up on the bridge, Commander Aròn informed me they already had a visual of the Swords' ship.

"And, we've confirmed with Flight Leader, as well," she told me as we stood waiting for Lloyd. "He's your husband, correct?"

"Yes," I answered, clasping my hands behind my back once I'd put on my cover and secured my sidearm to my hip. "Although things have been...complicated lately."

She frowned at that but I didn't elaborate - and I wouldn't have had the chance to anyway. As soon as the spook arrived, Captain Dakhati came to stand beside us, too.

"The cavalry arrived right on time," he said to us. "I've just spoken with Flight Leader. Their command shuttle is on its way."

Willis was clearly popular today. We'd spent last night apart, although we'd seen each other briefly before he'd gone out with three of his squadrons, as ordered. It just so happened that the Swords had appeared at the same time.

"Sir, they've landed," one of the bridge officers, a Navy lieutenant, said to Dakhati. "Our security is escorting them up from the hangar bay now."

While we waited I took in a deep breath. This was going to be the first time in years that I'd seen an Elite up close and not had express orders to kill it. I thought of the Sangheili I'd worked with in the last year of the War - Atalom 'Kuatee, and briefly, others - but I'd had nothing close to that experience for the last eight years. It was going to be interesting teaming up again.

Despite the recent false alarm, I didn't feel quite prepared.

So I couldn't help my visceral reaction when five of our former enemies - one in gleaming white armor in the center, with two darker-armored compatriots in front, and two behind - were shown onto the bridge by a squad of MPs.

As our security detail dispersed, positioning themselves in strategic places on the bridge, effectively surrounding us and our new allies, the dark-armored Elites did the same around their chief officer. Two stood beside the white-armored Elite on either side.

For our part, Captain Dakhati stepped forward first and extended his hand. "Welcome to the _Stars_ , Shipmaster 'Vettel."

The Elite in white armor gave a grunt before taking it. "Shipmaster Dakhati. It is an honor."

"This is my bridge crew," Dakhati said, gesturing to his junior officers at their consoles - all of whom seemed awed at seeing a Sangheili, as an ally, up close. It was hard to imagine, but many were too young to have fought even in the final year of the Human-Covenant conflict. "And my executive officer, Commander Aròn."

"You have our thanks for the escort to Sanghelios, Shipmaster," Aròn said.

'Vettel stared at her, but did not reply.

"Also here to greet you is our ground commander, Lieutenant Colonel Cooper."

I gave him a look and a slight nod, keeping my hands clasped behind me.

"And beside her is our intelligence officer, Lieutenant Commander Lloyd."

"Welcome, Shipmaster," my friend said.

"Are you and your men ready to board the _Glory in War_ , Shipmaster?" 'Vettel asked, turning his attention back to our captain.

But Dakhati motioned to me. "Actually, that falls under Colonel Cooper's purview."

The white-armored Elite fixed his gaze on me again, awaiting a response.

"We're ready," I affirmed.

"Very good. We will be waiting for your men - your _Marines_ \- in your ship's bay." The Elite turned to leave, but then faced me again, cocking his head to the side. "You are truly prepared to fight your own brothers on our world?"

At that I snorted. "They stopped being our brothers long ago, Shipmaster. We're just as ready to fight them as we are the Covenant, the Prometheans...or any faction of your species that still wants to wipe us off the map."

The shipmaster clicked his mandibles. "You do not mince words, Colonel."

"Don't need to," I said to him, my voice going low. "I've already killed many rebels myself."

There was no going back after that.


	22. Chapter 21: Journey's End

**Chapter Twenty-One: Journey's End**

 **Undetermined Shipboard Time, July 9, 2561. Onboard Sangheili Transport Ship** ** _Glory In War_** **, En Route to Sanghelios. Day Seven of the Enemy of My Enemy**

Four days into our stay aboard the _Glory_ , the exhaustion was starting to hit me. And not just because what little furniture the Elites had in this place was _clearly_ not meant for humans. My back ached from sleeping on what passed for a bunk inside my quarters, and I hadn't been getting much sleep in general. All the work we'd been doing preparing for our arrival on Sanghelios soon - training, logistics, rosters - seemed never ending.

And of course, being housed inside a vessel full of aliens that once wanted us eradicated from the cosmos had everyone a bit on edge. There was always a unit of Marines awake and ready, on rotation throughout the regiment, that guarded our quarters as we slept. Just in case.

Right now, I'd just gotten off yet another long duty shift and - uncomfortable or not - crashed onto my bed as soon as I reached my room. I took a moment to pull off my jacket and boots, tossing everything on the floor, but beyond that, I needed a minute to decompress before I finished undressing and crawled underneath the single sheet.

Yeah. Not big on luxuries, the Sangheili.

Slowly I brought a hand up to my temple and massaged it. I had to remind myself that despite my current gripes, we'd actually been pretty lucky so far. The transfer of personnel and supplies had gone more or less smoothly, the Swords had agreed to send a second ship out to help the _Stars_ with their repairs, so that they could make it back to UNSC space for a more thorough fix, and we hadn't been attacked again so far - from the inside or out.

I still worried about what we'd find on the surface when we arrived, though. Willis and I had made many strides in our relationship recently, but news of the ONI contact had set things back again. I hadn't seen him much the last few days, and we were back to staying in separate quarters. It was often frustrating, to be constantly taking one step forward and two back - but I accepted that this was all part of the consequences of what I'd done, and that I just had to find a way to deal with it.

My kids came to mind as I lay there as well, and my heart clenched. I missed them terribly. We'd had so little time at home before we'd left - and it'd been so tumultuous - that it felt even more awful to be away from them this time. I missed my dog, too; I could've used Chief's calming presence now. I hoped that whatever we encountered on Sanghelios would resolve itself quickly - although I knew that was wishful thinking.

Even with how tired I was, I found my mind wandering in too many directions to sleep. I was staring frustrated at the ceiling, fingers interlocked behind my head, with one leg half hanging off the bunk and my dogtags outside my shirt, when I heard a soft knock outside the hatch.

"Coop? It's me."

I took in a deep breath then before answering. This was the last thing I needed when I had so much going on in my head already. But I felt if I turned him away now, things would only get worse. And that was not what I wanted going into a potentially damaging situation on the Elites' homeworld.

"Come in," I called out. I reached over to press the door release that poked out on the bulkhead, just behind the bed, then resumed my lounging position.

In the meantime the hatch to my quarters slid open, revealing my husband - dressed in his own fatigues - on the other side.

"Hey," he said quietly as he stepped inside.

"Hey," I returned.

He paused at the foot of my bunk like he wanted to say something, but instead he looked down at me and frowned. "I came to see how you were settling in. Everything okay?"

I shrugged as I laid there on my back, keeping my gaze fixed on the overhead. "Yeah. Things are going well enough I guess, considering." Then I smirked a little. "These bunks are fucking awful, though. I can't remember the last time I slept well."

My husband chuckled lightly at that. "Yeah. Me, too. The Elites really need to upgrade."

"Mmhmm. Sleeping on the ground once we're dirtside'll feel better than this."

Willis hesitated again before sitting down on the edge by my feet. Gently he reached out and put a hand on my shin. "You look upset. Do you want to talk?"

"Not really."

I heard him swallow as he straightened. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No." Finally I let out a sigh. "I'm just exhausted, Will, and there's too much going on to sleep."

"You mean the contact?"

"I mean all of it. Being on this ship full of Elites, getting dropped on their planet soon, the fight on the _Stars_ , leaving the kids, us...I just - "

I was going to say I felt a little in over my head. But I never got the chance to, because suddenly Willis was leaning over me, and our lips met.

It wasn't what I was expecting after several days apart, but in that moment, I realized it was exactly what I needed. What we both did.

We wasted no more time on talk. Instead I let my crowded mind drift until his kisses and his touch pushed everything else away. By the time we were breathing heavy and tugging off our clothes, I wasn't thinking about anything anymore.

Except being with him. Here. Now.

* * *

When I woke up sometime later, I was glad to find Willis was still beside me, also asleep now. We were naked and the temperature had dropped in the room; it was clear from the dimming of the shipboard lights that several hours had passed. I pulled up the solitary sheet and draped it across both of us, then leaned over to the small desk in the room, molded from the floor, to check my watch. It was 0430 shipboard time.

I tried to snuggle back into the warmth beside my husband, but found that once again, I couldn't sleep. All the discomfort of the damn bunk - forgotten in the heat of the moment - came back now, and I tossed and turned. I was trying my best to shift quietly, so as not to wake him, but he did.

"Natalie?"

"I'm fine, honey," I mumbled absently. "Go back to sleep."

Willis smiled in the dark. "Hey. You called me 'honey'."

A small grin formed on my face, too. "I guess I did."

He moved closer then, nuzzling the back of my neck. "I think that means we're going to be okay, Cooper," he whispered in my ear, his voice still thick with sleep. "No matter what we find."

"I think you're right."

I turned my head slightly to kiss him, but things didn't end there. Soon I'd turned my whole body over to face him, and held both his cheeks in my hands as I kissed him deep. At the same time he ran his own hand up and down my side, finally rolling me gently onto my back. After returning the kiss just as passionately, he pulled away to dip his head low, pressing his lips against my neck at first, then between my breasts. I moaned softly as I grabbed a fistful of his short hair, enjoying the direction things were going. For a second time.

The world easily melted away again, and I felt pretty certain we weren't going to get much more sleep tonight.

* * *

We were just starting to drift off again once we finished when there was a knock on the hatch. This time I sat up fast, pulling the sheet up with me. Willis glanced over at the door and frowned.

"Trouble?" he asked low, but I shook my head.

"Not likely. Stay here."

Careful and quiet, I scooped up my underclothes and uniform pants from the ground, then slipped my T-shirt on. Once I was dressed, I pulled my loose hair into a quick bun, grabbed my sidearm, and stepped forward. The hatch opened automatically from the inside.

I peeked my head out the door, gripping my pistol tight but keeping the barrel low, and glanced down the corridor. Two Elites were walking by, heading away from us now, but I couldn't imagine it'd been them. I furrowed my brow as I stood barefoot in the passageway, unsure what to make of the sound.

"Colonel Cooper! There you are."

I watched as my XO came around the corner and backtracked to my quarters. I quickly tapped a button on the side, and the hatch slid shut on his approach.

"I just came down to get you," Delaney said to me. "The Shipmaster's been trying to get a hold of you for the past twenty minutes. He said - "

"Why? Is something going on?"

The major shook his head. "No, ma'am. Not exactly. He just - "

Delaney stopped in mid-sentence then, suddenly seeming to realize that I was not in full uniform, had very hastily and probably messily put my hair together, and that I'd very quickly sealed the hatch shut behind me when he'd arrived. That, and I hadn't been answering my calls for a while. "Oh. You...I interrupted something, didn't I?"

I folded my arms across my chest, feeling the cold metal of my dogtags underneath my shirt. "Not quite. Just...get me up to speed."

"Yes, ma'am." My XO took a breath. "Shipmaster 'Vettel wants to see you on the bridge. And...my apologies, Colonel."

I waved off his concern, then waited until he'd gone out of sight to open the hatch up again. Once inside, I picked up a towel from my sea bag so I could shower before meeting with the Elite.

"What's going on?" Willis asked me from the bed, and I frowned as I set my pistol down on the desk, clicking the safety back in place.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm supposed to meet with 'Vettel on the bridge. Apparently I'm late for something, and about to be even _more_ late." I went over to him and leaned down to give him a quick kiss. "I love you. I'll be back when I can."

"I love you, too, Coop. Be safe."

Ten minutes later I was on the bridge, being escorted up by two dark-armored Elites, along with Delaney and Lloyd. I wondered what was in store for us, and suddenly all the ease and serenity I'd gained from my night with Willis was overtaken by apprehension again.

"Shipmaster 'Vettel? You wanted to see me?"

The bridge of the alien ship looked different from any of ours. The lights were dimmer, yet the colors more vibrant, and it seemed quieter, too. Each Elite at their station was wholly engrossed in their work - even in the middle of empty space, there was no idle chit-chat, no distractions. It spoke well to their extreme discipline - and their excellence in space-faring operations.

'Vettel turned to face me, drawing his attention away from the large viewport in front of him. "Yes. There is something I wanted to show you and your officers."

He gestured for us to come forward, and, a bit hesitantly, we did.

Beside me, the major and lieutenant commander both let out a gasp.

Sitting small off in a corner of the viewport, I could see it now: a clear view of our former enemy's homeworld. Sanghelios was a rust-and-gold world, checkered by dark ocean - and flanked by twin moons. Just like Mars.

"It's beautiful," I finally said. "I could see why you wanted us to see this."

"It is what we fight for."

Shipmaster 'Vettel stood stoically behind us as he spoke, saying nothing else for a time. Then he walked forward, looking more closely at the planet before turning back. "We are arriving ahead of schedule, Colonel. We will reach the surface in one more day."

I nodded. Like before, it'd be a lot to get ready in a short amount of time.

"So this is it," Cal murmured next to me, sounding completely in awe. "We're really here."


	23. Chapter 22: Friend or Foe

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Friend or Foe**

 **2054 Hours, July 10, 2561. Outskirts of Vettel Keep** **, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Eight of the Enemy of My Enemy**

We landed on the Elites' homeworld at night - a happy coincidence that hopefully kept us off the radar of the numerous factions vying for control of the region. Human rebels had a significant presence here, along with a particularly alarming mass of Prometheans that Laraza had been funneling through the portal on Puget. And, as I'd found out from Ethan during our last deployment, the Sangheili were currently engaged in a war against their own, as well.

Sanghelios was a veritable free-for-all right now, and we were here to change that. Before all this mess spilled over into our territory, too.

"Colonel, the 213th Infantry has landed," Major Delaney announced over the command channel.

"Roger that," I replied. "Stay on task and head for the keep, Justin. Quiet and quick. I'll be bringing up the rear with the Eighth, so you've got point."

"Yes, ma'am."

A moment later, Major Mullen's hail came in. "904th is dirtside, ma'am."

"Acknowledged, Wayne. Move ahead."

I stood there in the dark for a minute, surrounded by my security detail, and waited for the final battalion commander's call. It never came.

"Major Murphy? This is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. I need confirmation that you've arrived."

When he didn't answer, I pulled out my datapad from one of my tactical pockets and checked the Pelican blips on the screen. All of them showed they'd unloaded their cargo and personnel and lifted off again. That meant Murphy was already on the ground.

I had an idea of what he was doing, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, and hailed our air commander instead.

"Major Hawk?" I said over the general channel. "This is Cooper."

"Yes, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

"I need to check on the status of - "

I paused when I saw a green light flash inside my HUD. Our former Helljumper, in charge of the 8th Engineers, who I was supposed to be going in with, was finally checking in. I frowned.

"Belay that last, Major. Looks like we're good."

"Glad to hear it, ma'am. Godspeed."

"You, too, Flight Leader. Cooper out."

I wasn't much in the mood to let Murphy off the hook anymore. As several Warthogs and whole columns of Marines got into gear around me, I opened up a private channel to our newest battalion commander. But he beat me to it.

"I'm surprised he still speaks to you," the ex-ODST said matter-of-factly.

"Excuse me?"

"Your husband. Major Hawk. On the general channel just now." His tone changed to something approaching disbelief. "My wife had done something like that? And convicted, too? Not a chance."

Anger bubbled up inside me - mostly at his words, but a little at myself, too, for putting myself in this position in the first place. "I wasn't convicted of adultery, Jack," I said as evenly as I could. "And my private life is not up for discussion." Unconsciously I shifted my stance, watching my former battalion maneuver further ahead. "I expect everyone to follow orders and do their jobs while we're here, Major. That's it. Are we clear?"

He grunted in response.

At that, I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Look, I know you don't like me personally - that's fine. But this mission is important. We have too many enemies out here and a lot that can go wrong. Not only for the regiment, but for the Colonies as well. We need to focus - not get caught up in distractions."

Murphy snorted. "Well, if the brass wanted no distractions, _ma'am_ , maybe they shouldn't've let you back."

I was left momentarily speechless, although I knew I had to shut that shit down fast. But I never got the chance, because suddenly a burst of gunfire came our way.

"Marines, take cover!"

I dropped down into the low grass in an instant, holding my rifle tight between my hands, keeping the stock under my shoulder. Using the night vision in my HUD and my weapon's scope, I tried to see exactly what was shooting at us, but I didn't notice any discernible movement in the treeline ahead. Not yet, anyway.

We didn't even know which of our many enemies was after us at this point. And I supposed it didn't matter - whoever it was, they needed to be gone.

"Keep steady, Marines," I said over the general channel. "You're free to engage as soon as the enemy's in sight."

Slowly I crawled forward in the grass, keeping my head as low as possible, but that still didn't stop a round from hitting the dirt right by my leg. It wasn't scorching hot, and it wasn't neon lit - so that meant bullets.

I got the unnecessary confirmation shortly after, from one of Murphy's captains.

"Colonel, it's the rebs!"

"Take 'em out!"

These were the same troops who'd started this whole mess by destroying a Sangheili temple nearby - and likely, the same we'd fought on Puget. Who'd been responsible for my internment, and Cal's, and that of several others we'd rescued as well. And who'd willingly followed a leader like Javier Laraza, who'd coldly killed one of my battalion commanders - my friend - in front of all of us. Among other hideous deeds.

If my anger wasn't boiling over before, it sure as hell was now.

Still, I did my best to reel it in. Pausing in the grass, I found my first target, a dark silhouette standing tall among the trees. I quickly squeezed the trigger, and again, and then again. The first burst hit the bark beside him, sending wood fragments exploding into the air. The next two, though, didn't miss, and the rebel fell backwards in a spray of blood as the rounds pierced his armor at his gut.

He'd die a slow, agonizing death that way. All I could think was, _Good riddance._

I moved on fast to the next target. Both sides were well engaged now, lighting up the field we'd landed in with tracer rounds that flashed brightly in the night. In short order I began to hear a few light machine guns open up along our lines, along with the occasional _crack_ of a sniper rifle, silencing enemy guns on the other side in an instant. After taking some casualties on their main line, the rebels who'd poked out of the small forest seemed to retreat back into the trees. I thought it might be over and started to rise to a crouch, but I was quickly brought back down again when the entire field between us became enveloped in smoke.

The action clicked in my mind right away. They were going to charge us.

"Marines, hold your positions!" I yelled out over the COM. "They're coming; be ready!"

As the smoke coalesced in the air into a thick screen, more of our MGs opened up, beginning the slaughter before we could even see the devastation it left behind. Plenty of bullets were still coming from the rebs' side as well, though, as no matter how much lead we poured their way, they had the advantage of being momentarily invisible. For my own part, I fired my gun blindly into the smokey haze, hoping I hit some that tried to make it across the grass, but with so much chaos around me, and so much noise, I couldn't truly tell. I just did my best to keep as low to the ground as possible while the enemy ran for us, and kept firing back.

The moment the rebels broke through the smokescreen, my Marines and I went into action, rising up from the earth to fire at our fellow humans at point-blank range, in many cases, or lashing out with combat knives in others. Off on my left flank, I saw Major Murphy suddenly appear among his battalion, dumping an entire mag from his SMG into one reb, then pulling out his blade from a hip sheath and driving it deep into the neck of another. Blood splattered across his visor and his uniform, but if anything, he seemed invigorated by the carnage. Even if it wasn't the Elite he'd been hoping to sink his knife into back on the _Stars_.

But I supposed out here, we'd run into that eventually as well.

Not tonight, however, and not yet. For now I had my own problems to deal with, as my security detail fired around me, keeping most of the rebels from ever getting too close. It was only when one of the enlisted men on my team was shot that I risked leaving their safety, and quickly rushed out into the melee to help.

"Colonel! _No!_ " I heard Gunnery Sergeant York shout behind me, but I was already on the move.

I did my best to dodge and weave as incoming fire continued pouring in from the smoke, now starting to dissipate a bit further out, but still plenty thick in the middle. I probably missed being shot by mere millimeters several times. When I finally got to the Marine who'd been hit - a young lance corporal - I quickly knelt down beside him, raised my weapon up, and fired, downing a reb who'd just appeared a few feet in front of us, aiming to kill. The lance corporal or me was up for debate, but in either case, he was a threat no longer. The rebel lay dead in the grass now.

"Corporal, we're going to get you out of here," I said to him, grabbing a hold of his torso armor to drag him back. "You're going to be just fine, you got that?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," he answered faintly. "I - "

I heard his sharp intake of breath at the same time I registered a second rebel popping up from the smoke. I pulled out my sidearm fast and shot him, too, four times in the chest for good measure, but as soon as he went down, another sprinted up from our flank. I was scrambling now to hang onto the Marine _and_ get a shot off, and my first two rounds missed.

There wasn't going to be time for a third.

I ducked a moment before the rebel pulled the trigger and the shot went just above my head. Had I been a split-second slower, I would've been dead.

Thinking fast, I covered the corporal with my body, lifted my gun again, and -

Stopped.

The human insurgent in front of us fell forward suddenly, killed by a spray of bullets - but not my own. Not anyone behind us, either. Friendly fire.

I realized then that my breath was coming in quick gasps, but I needed to get us back. I rapidly holstered my sidearm, slung my rifle behind me, and pulled the corporal to safety as my security detail finally pushed up and surrounded us. I didn't let the Marine drop lightly on the grass until he was behind the only bit of cover we had out here - us.

"Gunny, watch the lines," I said to York.

"Yes, ma'am."

My detail immediately clustered tighter around us. In the meantime, I switched back to the general channel.

"Corpsman up! We've got wounded!"

That was likely the case down the lines at this point, I imagined. I swore under my breath at the luck we'd had. Being ambushed instantly upon landing was _not_ my idea of a good time. It seemed Sanghelios was already living up to its potential as the most hostile planet we'd ever touched down on.

But there'd be time to ruminate on all that later. Right now, I was focused on the corporal in front of me - and after, I needed to find a way to get us disengaged from the fight.

Inside one of my cargo pockets was a first-aid kit - standard issue to all Marines - and I pulled it out right away. Tearing open a pack of bandages quickly, I pressed the largest gauze pad hard against his bleeding wound - a bullet hole near his hip, just below his armor plate - and he groaned.

"Hang tight, Marine," I reassured him. "Doc's on his way."

The corporal attempted a reply, but only managed a painful grunt instead. Keeping one hand firmly in place on his wound, I used the other to signal one of his teammates.

"Private, take over for me here."

"Right away, ma'am."

As much as I wanted to see the lance corporal healed up, I needed to concentrate on the bigger picture for now. He'd get the treatment he needed, and he was in good hands in the meantime. Once the private had taken my place, applying strong pressure to his fellow Marine's wound, I got on the COM to my husband. Via private channel this time.

"Willis, we're under attack. Could use a heavy drop at this location when you're ready."

"Roger that. Turning back now, Coop. Keep your heads down. We'll take care of it."

"Remember: keep damage at a minimum," I amended.

"I know the rules."

Had we been closer to the keep, I wouldn't have called in air support at all. Shipmaster 'Vettel had made it clear to us that their structures on the ground were to remain intact, as much as possible. But given that we were scant meters away from the LZ, and in the middle of an open field - with no idea how many rebs were hiding in the nearby woods - I felt a shock-and-awe approach was best. We needed to send a message, as much as the rebels had here tonight. This ambush against us wouldn't be taken lightly.

I keyed the COM then and reentered the general channel. "Marines, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. Air wing coming in hot. Hold your positions. I repeat, _stay put_. Friendly ordnance incoming."

True to his word, Willis and his squadrons came roaring in in less than two mikes. As my Marines and I hugged the earth, flattening ourselves against the grass and wrapping our arms over our helmets in lieu of proper cover, the ground beneath us began to shake from the bombardment. There was a moment when the noise of the explosions and the heavy ship-mounted guns overtook everything else - the sound of my heart beating hard inside my chest, my breathing, even my thoughts. For those brief seconds, my mind was devoid of anything but primal reaction to the cacophony of battle.

And then it was over.

Most of the smoke the rebs had deployed earlier was gone now, replaced instead with fragments of grass and dirt that still swirled in the air from the detonations. The assault had done a number on the open field, and very few pockets of insurgents - mostly along the treeline, where I'd ordered my husband not to shoot - remained. Those that did found themselves among the dead and dying, or badly wounded, and surrounded by craters of blackened earth and blood.

Both the sight and smell hit me hard, even after all these years in combat. As I had many times throughout my career, I forced myself to push past the feelings of panic and fear and harness my adrenaline, making it work for me. I was the first to get back up and focus my attention downrange again.

"Everyone up, _now_!" I shouted as I did so myself. "Our flyboys did the work, now we finish them off! Let's go!"

* * *

Just as I'd thought, mop up duty didn't last very long. The majority of those who'd been caught out in the field had been killed on impact, given the location, and those in the forest, who'd escaped mostly unscathed, weren't as keen on fighting us anymore. After gunning down any survivors who still posed a threat, I had Murphy's battalion press forward into the trees to track down the others - but they'd already fled. I supposed we'd save that for another day.

Since my regiment had landed only five klicks south of Vettel Keep, the trek there was short, even at night in a new and hostile place. I still hadn't spoken to Murphy yet, but with the attack from the rebels we'd just endured, my adrenaline was up, and my memories - ones I had buried, at least for the time being, while I'd been back home with my kids, and as I'd tried to navigate the uncertain state of my marriage and career - were beginning to take center-stage again. As I walked through the grass and into the small forested area just before we hit the keep, I gripped my rifle tighter than usual in one hand, and made a hard fist at my side with the other. My breathing was coming in quickly now, and not because I was particularly strained by the short march, or the weight of my gear.

I was furious. Plain and simple.

As soon as we reached the outer perimeter unharmed, I slung my rifle behind my back, pushed past my security detail, and shoved aside several other Marines until I finally found Major Murphy.

"You and me. We talk. Right now."

The former Helljumper scoffed before slowly turning around. "What do - "

He stopped then and there when I reached over with one hand and yanked him forward, holding on tightly to the top of his chestplate.

"Hey! What are you - "

"Shut up," I growled fiercely. "You shut up right now, and you fucking listen. Do you know what happened to me on Puget? Did you hear _that_ through the grapevine, too, like you _think_ you heard what I did to get court-martialed? Or did you only concern yourself with the outcome?"

I didn't wait for a response. I could tell by how wide his eyes had gone that he wasn't going to speak right now.

He wasn't afraid of me. Just clearly astonished.

"I was a prisoner of the rebels there for three weeks. Three fucking weeks!" I seethed. "I was tortured, interrogated, and I had to do some things I wasn't prepared for to get out. And when I _did_ get out - finally - I lost my way for a while.

"I admit that, okay? I cheated. I got involved with someone who wasn't my husband, and I regret that, deeply. But not in the way you think. Do you know what I did to get demoted? A kiss. It was _one_ _kiss_. Not an affair, and nothing else. And for that one slip in _fifteen_ fucking years, I was stripped of my rank, and nearly lost my command, my husband, and my family. So if you'd like to judge me for that, fine. Go ahead. But at least now, you actually know the damn story."

I was shaking when I released him. It was only once I'd backed away that I saw one of his hands resting ever so slightly on the grip of his combat knife, still in its sheath at his hip. Just in case, I guessed. I should've been more troubled by that, but for some reason I wasn't. He was a veteran ODST and a burly man. I had no illusions that he couldn't take me down in a hand-to-hand fight. But in the moment, my rage had taken over. I was tired of the snide comments, and tired of the disrespect. I'd had to say my piece.

The major still looked stunned, and he didn't say anything for a long time. Just as I realized that many of my Marines were loosely surrounding us now - watching, waiting for a fight - he finally released a long breath. "I recognize you as my commanding officer, ma'am," he said loudly, so everyone could hear. Then he lowered his voice. "But if you _ever_ come at me like that again, CO or no, woman or no, I will lay you out flat."

That got my hackles up again, but thankfully, this time, Major Delaney intervened.

"What the hell's going on here?" he barked.

After pushing through the crowd, my XO very strategically got between Murphy and myself, looking at us both in confusion for an answer.

"Nothing," Murphy replied gruffly, and after one last stare at me, he turned to go.


	24. Chapter 23: Discoveries

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Discoveries**

It took a while for my breathing to even out after my "talk" with Major Murphy. I didn't regret my action and I felt more than justified; however, a part of me was of the mind that I didn't want to complicate an already very complex mission. Still, I'd known a handful of Marines like the ex-Helljumper in my career - so I knew that some people only responded to overt aggression. My time on Heath came to mind, and "speaking" to Lieutenant Smythe, a fellow platoon leader in Bravo Company when I'd first joined. I remembered a fistfight with him once that had been broken up by our company commander, and then an encore in a bar on Sigma Octanus IV. That had ended with me on the floor seeing stars, and I would've had my ass beat even further if it hadn't been for Willis stepping in to save me. After that, the bastard had disappeared. Unit transfer, supposedly.

Now that I thought back on it, I'd had a pretty eventful early twenties.

"Colonel? What was that about?" my XO asked, coming up beside me as I walked. "If you don't mind me asking."

I took in a deep breath before answering. "The major had an...attitude problem that needed adjusting."

Delaney furrowed his brow. "Think that'll do it?"

"I don't know. We'll see."

For now, there were other pressing matters to attend to, and I more or less tucked away my disagreement with Murphy in my mind. Holding my rifle diagonally across my middle, barrel pointed down with my trigger finger just outside the guard, I went through our lines as we entered the keep.

"Delaney, your batt will take first watch," I said to him, and he nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Everyone else," I said louder over the COM, "get inside the keep's walls and sit tight. I'm going to check in with our hosts, and I'll have orders for you shortly."

Acknowledgment lights winked green across my HUD, and I finally felt secure enough to pull off my helmet. I placed a small COM bud in my ear, in case anyone needed to get a hold of me, and ran a tired hand over my put-up hair. Our landing just now had been a lot hairier than I'd imagined. Thankfully, Willis had come through for us, as I'd known he would.

I got my first real look around then, and I had to admit, I was impressed. The Sangheili keep resembled a castle - or at least, what I'd read about them in my history classes in school. No human ones were still standing, on Earth or elsewhere, so it was interesting to see one that wasn't in hologram form. The masonry was more alien, as was the architecture - but the idea remained surprisingly similar. Old stone walls surrounded a large courtyard, with several segmented structures inside that I guessed were living quarters. At the heart, beyond the open space, was a grand-looking building I assumed had some loftier purpose.

"It's their assembly chamber, Colonel," Cal supplied, clearly in awe. "The seat of power for the whole keep. God, I'd love to see it from the inside."

I turned to find him standing next to me with his arms crossed over his chest, also no longer wearing his helmet.

"That's what our contact told me, anyway," he added a little sheepishly.

My heart caught in my throat for a moment as the thought hit me again: I still didn't know who was actually here on the planet, and what that might mean for Willis and I. "Will we be meeting him soon?"

"Yes, ma'am," Caleb replied. "Right after we speak to the _kaidon_ 's wife."

"The what?"

The spook just grinned as he stared at the building, all excitement. "Shipmaster 'Vettel's spouse. She runs the keep while he's gone." He shook his head and brought his arms back down to his sides. "I still can't believe we're really here. Dani's going to be _so_ jealous."

Caleb's delight was infectious, and it made me smile that my buddy was so into all this. I was intrigued as well, but beyond my interactions with one or two Elites during the last year of the War, I knew little about their culture, other than the fact that they were big on honor, tradition, and might. I'd been trained my whole life to despise them - and professionally, to kill them. I had a feeling this was going to be a much more in-depth learning experience for me than when we'd allied briefly back in '52.

As soon as we began to make our way across the courtyard, my security detail in tow, we were approached by a Sangheili guard - six total, more than 'Vettel had had for our meeting aboard the _Stars_. They all wore black armor and bore weapons, which they held in a non-threatening stance, but were clearly prepared to use at any moment if need be. And between them was something I'd never seen before.

A Sangheili out of armor. A female.

She wore a long, dark tunic instead, and she was slightly shorter and less bulky than her male counterparts - but I had a feeling she was no less dangerous. It was jarring for me, considering I'd only ever seen the males of their species. And only ever fully equipped for battle.

"I didn't even realize they _had_ civilian clothes," I whispered quickly to Lloyd, and he shot me a look.

"Of course they do. Not all of them just fight."

That was all we got to say to each other before the leader of the keep stopped in front of us.

She gave a slight bow in greeting, and I did so in return.

"Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. Welcome to Vettel Keep."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"I am Sennu. Tal informed me our human guests would be arriving tonight. I heard you had some troubles on your journey."

I shifted my stance, careful not to make any movements that might be deemed hostile by her guards, who were standing uncomfortably close and towered over Caleb and I. I still had my weapon in my hands, though the business end was pointed down. "Things could have gone better," I admitted. "But we're here now, so I won't complain."

She nodded. "Let us show you where your _Marines_ will stay. As their commander, we are giving you, Colonel Cooper, your own private chamber nearby."

"I'm honored."

"And you are, of course, welcome to bring your mate with you, should you have one."

"My...what?"

Suddenly my mind flooded with old conversations I'd had with Atalom 'Kuatee, the Elite I'd spent most of my last year of the War fighting alongside. I remembered him referencing Willis once as my "mate", as well. I scratched the back of my head. "Oh. Well, I'm going to have to get back to you on that. My husband may or may not want me around that much." Bunking together again seemed like a big step for us, given the circumstances. But I kept that to myself.

We went through the courtyard then to a large structure on the west side of the keep. There, three stone buildings contained what looked like dozens of rooms each; enough to house my entire regiment comfortably. A fourth, smaller building stood further down, this one made of an elegantly carved wood - it was indicated that that was to be my quarters.

"Does this satisfy your requirements, Colonel?"

"Yes, ma'am," I responded, finally slinging my rifle behind my back as we walked. "Everything looks good."

She bowed her head again. "Then I will leave you to settle in for tonight. We will meet again in the morning."

As she turned to leave, her guards moving with her, I suddenly stepped forward.

"Wait. We encountered human rebels at our landing zone. You're not worried about an attack?"

Sennu faced me slowly, cocking her head to the side a second time. "We have many guards throughout the keep, and your men are here now. We will be ready if they come."

* * *

After making sure we had our own roving patrol outside the keep - as well as guards surrounding our quarters for any internal threats - I ordered my battalion commanders to oversee their Marines' billets, then decided to call it a night. I hefted my weapon and helmet in one hand and headed to my room first, where I dumped my pack and most of my gear, save for my sidearm. Then I stepped back out again. I wondered where the hell our ONI contact was, and why I hadn't seen him yet. It worried me a lot that it might be Ethan, as I wasn't sure how Willis - or I - would handle that. And I wasn't at all sure my marriage could survive it.

"He's on his way back now, ma'am," Cal said as he approached again, seemingly reading my mind. "He went out on a scouting mission when I told him what happened at the LZ."

I nodded and came to a halt before him, folding my arms across my chest. "This contact. He's...not who I think it is, is it?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, Colonel. You'll just have to wait."

It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I supposed I had no choice.

While we waited, we walked past a pair of Sangheili guards in the dark as we made our way across the courtyard again, stopping in the center by a curved wooden bench that surrounded what looked like a fire pit. We were deep enough inside the lines that lighting one wouldn't alert the enemy, and through some trial and error, we were able to ask the guards if it was okay to do so. One nodded and helpfully lit it for us before we could do it ourselves.

Since the bench was too tall for human legs, Lloyd and I ended up sitting in the dirt with our backs propped up against the side instead. The night air wasn't nearly as cold as our last post in Cordonnes had been - not by a longshot. But it was chilly nonetheless, and I soaked in the warmth as the flames roared. My eyes may or may not have closed briefly.

I smiled to myself then, folding my hands behind my neck and leaning my head back on the seat. "This is nice. All that's missing are some hot dogs to roast and a big cooler of beer."

Cal chuckled beside me. "Roger that, ma'am."

I suddenly opened my eyes again and turned to face him. "Think anyone snuck some aboard the - "

"There she is! My favorite sister."

We both glanced up then to see a figure clad in black fatigues heading for us. He didn't have a helmet on, or his usual Navy dress whites that I'd nearly always seen him in, but I did recognize the rich brown hair and the green eyes - even in the dark. They were a mirror of my own features - our father's - only on my older brother.

To say my jaw dropped was an understatement.

"Mark?"

"Natalie! Come here."

I could barely contain the small giggle that escaped me as I leapt to my feet and grabbed onto my brother, hard. I hadn't seen him since we'd come home from Puget, briefly, and that had been a bittersweet occasion. My time in captivity, coupled with the loss of my command and my breakup with Willis, hadn't made for a happy reunion at the time - although I'd been grateful for his help in getting me released from the rebels' clutches. And above all, I'd been very grateful to be home.

"I'm so glad to see you," I said, finally letting him go. Then I looked over at my friend. "You couldn't tell me?"

Caleb grinned a bit. "No, ma'am. Commander Cooper here made me promise not to say a word. As my superior, I had to oblige." He stood and glanced over at my brother, giving him a slight nod. "Sir."

"Thanks, Lloyd. I'll come meet with you soon. I'd like a minute with my sister for now. We've got a lot to catch up on."

"Of course, sir."

Mark and I waited until Cal was out of earshot, watching him go off in the direction of my regiment's quarters. I figured he'd likely be calling his wife now, telling her all about our arrival on-planet. It made me miss my XO.

"So," Mark said, turning to face me again. "I guess I should start by asking you about your clothes."

I frowned. "What about them?"

"Well...you're bleeding."

Glancing down at myself, I finally noticed what he did. Several splotches of dark red on my battledress jacket, already starting to congeal. "Oh, this? Not mine. Some rebel fucker that tried to take one of my Marines and me down with him."

My brother laughed. "Why does that not surprise me? You never change, little sis."

"Yeah, well..."

I was just thinking about sitting down again and basking in the warmth of the fire when my big brother suddenly rapped me on the back of my head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Well, since I know you're actually fine now... _That_ was for what you conveniently forgot to mention when I saw you back on Mars. Ethan? Really? _That's_ why you and Willis split up?" He shook his head at me, his expression suddenly serious. "Come on. You know better."

"I...I know."

"Willis loves you, Natalie. Very much. Always has."

"I-I know."

"So why do that to him? To yourself, even? I heard you got demoted over this."

I took in a deep breath. "I did. I was. As for why - " I thought about explaining it, yet again, but found that confronting Murphy about it earlier had taken all the fight out of me. So I shrugged. "Does it matter? It happened, and unfortunately, that fact isn't going away."

My brother shook his head again. "I thought that pretty boy might get you into trouble. So what now?"

"I try - I've _been_ trying - to make amends." I put my hands in my pockets, still longing for the heat of the fire. "Willis and I are separated, but we agreed not to divorce yet, and to try to make things work. And, so far, so good." I met his gaze then a little sheepishly. "It's also good that our ONI contact out here is you. I think I would've been in big trouble if it wasn't."

"Yep. I can imagine why."

We stood there for a moment without saying anything else. Finally, my brother released a long sigh.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

He frowned. "I don't know if this question's allowed, but...do you miss him?"

I knew without him saying so that he meant Ethan, and I immediately brought a hand up to my face. I wasn't sure what I felt in that regard. I hadn't really allowed myself to.

Or maybe, a part of me hadn't yet really processed that I'd never see him again.

"I don't know," I finally answered, moving my hand away. "In a way, yes. He was a good friend to me, like he never was back when we were kids. When we were dating." Before the abuse had started, but that I'd never breathed a word to Mark about, and never would. He would have obliterated Ethan for that. "But...he wanted more. He wanted my heart, and that wasn't mine to give."

"You didn't have feelings for him. You love Willis."

I nodded, emotion suddenly welling up in my throat at the thought. "He'll always be the one for me, Mark. I fucked up, once, when I felt in over my head. But that's never changed."

All I could hope now was that we continued on the path we'd started, towards reconciliation, and that we'd eventually return home to our children, together and whole.

But first, we had to survive Sanghelios.


	25. Chapter 24: The More You Know

**Chapter Twenty-Four: The More You Know**

I was still sitting by the fire with my brother when Willis and his pilots finally arrived at the keep. I got the message from Major Delaney first, as my husband had thoughtfully remembered to let the Marines on patrol know that friendlies were inbound, so as not to get shot. Rather than go greet him, I waited for him to come find me. Mostly because I wasn't about to leave the warmth of this place anytime soon.

As he approached, I watched him sling his SMG behind his back and pull off his helmet. He'd just tugged off his gloves and stuffed them in his pockets when he saw me, then Mark - and did a double-take.

"Hey, man," Willis said in surprise. "You're here?"

"I'm here," my brother affirmed.

"And you're our contact?"

"Yup. I'm the spook."

My husband let out a sigh of relief before giving me a look I wasn't sure how to interpret. Maybe something along the lines of, _We got lucky_. "Well, it's good to see you, man."

"You, too, Willis."

My brother got up to grab my husband's hand in a fist and they clapped each other on the back.

"Listen, we'll catch up later," Mark said to him. "I've got to go update Lloyd on the state of things before I hit the sack." He gave Willis's shoulder a squeeze. "Be good to my sister. Nat, I'll see you in the morning."

I stood too to give my big brother another quick hug. "Goodnight. Love you."

"Love you, too, little sis."

After he left, I sat back down in front of the fire again, and Willis did the same.

"Not a bad setup here, huh?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"Nope. It's...a little intimidating with the guards, but overall, it's more relaxed than I thought it'd be."

"Feels safe."

"Yeah."

We were quiet for a while before he stretched his arms out towards the flames. "Fire's nice. The kids would've loved this."

I smiled at the thought, but still snorted. "I don't think I'd want them anywhere near here. I miss them, though. So much."

"Me, too."

He scooted closer and I allowed myself this small moment with him, since no one else was around. I finally rested my head against his shoulder as we stared at the fire.

"You doing okay?"

I nodded. "Reasonably. Although I did have a run-in with Murphy earlier."

My husband frowned. "He still giving you a hard time?"

"Yeah. But it's par for the course, I guess." I sighed. "I knew coming back after the trial was going to be hard. I'd like to think some are still...adjusting."

"I'm sure things will settle eventually."

I took in a deep breath then. "I...wanted to ask you something. Feel free to say no."

"Shoot."

"I was offered my own quarters while we're here." I chuckled nervously. "Well, it's more like a small building to myself, really."

"So modest."

I gave him a playful shove, still smirking. "It's true. No point skirting around it." I swallowed. "But I was wondering if you'd stay with me."

He was silent for a while, as I'd expected. I didn't know what was going through his head at the moment, but I did feel his body stiffen as he pulled back a bit. I mentally prepared myself for the letdown when he heaved a sigh, turning to face me.

"I'd be okay with giving it a try."

"Okay. Good. Then maybe we should - "

"Ma'am, Hawk," Cal said then, suddenly reappearing. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow the colonel for a sec."

Willis and I split further apart and stood.

"Right. You two need to talk shop, huh?"

"Yeah."

My husband nodded to the spook, then turned back to me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll be in our room. Which building?"

I pointed it out to him, and he started to head in that direction. Once he was gone, Caleb glanced over at me.

"That didn't sound so bad."

"Only because Eth - Lieutenant Ackerson's not here." I sighed again. "Baby steps. We'll get there. What did you want to talk to me about?"

My buddy changed his stance, his expression sobering. "I just spoke with your brother. It sounds like we've got a lot of work to do here, ma'am. The attack on the LZ was...unexpected. Even for him." He ran a quick hand over his face. "He said it's more aggressive than the rebels have been up to this point, at least that close to the keep."

"Has anything changed? Other than our arrival, I mean."

Lloyd swallowed. "Actually, yes. The commander's been keeping tabs on the rebels' communications. There's some rumors going around that Laraza and his daughter might be here, somewhere on-planet. We may have finally found them."

I didn't even get a chance to digest that before Caleb was speaking again.

"There's nothing we can do about it tonight. Commander Cooper wanted to wait till morning to tell you, but...I thought you should know."

"Thanks, Cal."

The spook nodded, then took his leave. I stood there in front of the fire for a minute longer before snuffing it out.

This wasn't exactly how I'd planned on ending the evening.

* * *

It was great to share a space with Willis again, and wake up together, too. Still, I couldn't help but feel uneasy - and not just because of how early it was. I was eager to start the day now that we'd finally landed, but even more so, I wanted to talk to Mark about Cal's news.

I found the door to his quarters and knocked, just about fed up when he answered.

He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, and his short brown hair was mussed. Clearly he'd been asleep.

"Hey, Nat. What's going on?"

"Laraza?" I said to him, skipping right past the pleasantries. " _Cal_ had to come tell me last night? Why didn't I hear that from you?"

My brother ran a hand over his face and blew out a breath. "Shit. You'd just gotten dirtside yesterday, and I didn't want to stir the pot already. I know what that name means to you, Natalie, and what he's done."

"That doesn't matter," I said sternly. "I'm in charge of this operation, Mark. I _cannot_ be your little sister here. You can't coddle me. If you know something that big, you need to tell me. The moment you're able, so that I can make an informed decision. Please don't try to spare my feelings, or put something off because you think it's unpleasant. I _need_ to know."

Mark held up his hands, definitely awake now. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."

"So why don't you give me the scoop here, then," I said in a softer tone.

"I will. Promise. But I'm not exactly prepared right now, and you've got a meeting with Sennu, right?"

I glanced down at my watch. It was almost 0600. "Yes."

"All right. Come get me afterward. I'll get you up to speed."

"Let's hold a briefing instead. This afternoon. I need my battalion commanders in on this, too. And Willis."

"Fine. It's your show."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean it?"

"Yes. Now go." A corner of his lips curled upward slightly. "You don't want to be late and give her a terrible impression of the human race."

At that I snorted. "Well, just remember, big bro: you were here first."

* * *

After checking in briefly with my XO, ensuring all was well with the regiment and that our patrols hadn't reported any activity overnight, I finally went to meet with Sennu in the courtyard. Our agreed meeting place was actually right by the fire pit we'd all seemed drawn to the night before, and I looked down at the blackened earth now, missing the heat. The air around the keep this morning was brisk, but it seemed poised to warm up later in the day. I hoped.

The female Elite arrived with only two guards this time; I'd come by myself. I was dressed in full gear, including my body armor, but I'd left my helmet and rifle in my quarters, with just my sidearm on me. I wanted to show our hosts that we trusted them, and didn't fear them - but even that trust only went so far.

"Colonel Cooper. Good morning."

"Good morning, ma'am."

She quickly beckoned me forward. "Come. You only saw one part of our keep last night. I would like to show you more."

I gave her a slight nod and followed.

"It is...interesting to see a female of your species in charge," Sennu commented as we walked.

I shrugged. "Not so strange for us, really. Women and men have been in charge of military units for centuries where I'm from."

"Ah. The same cannot be said for us. Our men are our warriors. We maintain the keep and the children - as well as occupy a good deal of the assembly." She paused then, saying her next words very carefully. "But that does not mean we do not know how to fight."

I wasn't sure if there was a veiled threat in her words or if it was just information. In any case, I let the comment slide.

"The other human - Commander Cooper - he has been here six weeks already. It gave us some time to get used to the idea of having more of your species around before your arrival."

"I see. I hope he made a good impression on you."

"He has been capable and pleasant." She cocked her head, turning slightly to face me. "You share the same family name."

"Yes. He's my older brother."

"Is that typical among humans? To serve in battle with one's family?"

"Not particularly. Our leadership tries to avoid that when possible, but - " I chuckled. "My family's pretty big. I have one more brother, and a younger sister. My older sister is...deceased."

Sennu clicked her mandibles. "Are those the only children you grew with? Only five of you?"

"Yes, ma'am. That's quite a few by human standards. My dad was in the Navy and my mom was a scientist, so I'm not sure they could've handled much more than that. They were both very busy in their careers."

The Elite continued to stare. "You knew your father?"

"Yeah. Why?"

We stopped at the edges of the courtyard, on the opposite end of my regiment's housing.

"Our cultures are very different, Colonel."

I wondered what she meant by that, but before I could process her words, we were moving on.

Sennu told me a bit about the hierarchy of the keep, about how big it was, and how that compared to other keeps on Sanghelios. My understanding was that this wasn't one of the largest, nor most significant, but its central location to the Swords movement made it _very_ important for us humans. In the meantime, we passed what looked like a sizable common hall, as well as a grassy training area.

And then I let out a gasp, because I finally understood what she'd meant earlier - in part, at least.

Beyond the grand assembly building were even more living quarters - but it seemed that these had been purposely separated from where my Marines were staying, and the area us humans were allowed to roam. There were twice as many guards around, all male, and they even had their own sparing grounds nearby. In the center, however, were about four dozen odd-looking Sangheili - shorter, and anatomically a little different than other members of their species, most notably due to what looked like extra scales around their necks. It hit me before Sennu said it aloud.

"These are our younglings. Hejer and Valek are mine. Both males." She turned to look at me. "They do not know their fathers."

I shook my head, trying to wrap my mind around that, wondering if she was telling me their dad was a deadbeat - which probably meant not 'Vettel's. "I'm sorry. I don't think I understand."

"All the keep's children are raised together. They know the identity of their mothers, yet not their fathers. Certain names carry great weight among our species - a youngling may not be judged on their own merits that way, but on those of their father. We have sought to eliminate this advantage, so that each young Sangheili may stand on his or her own."

This presented a problem in my mind, although I wasn't quite sure how to ask in a diplomatic way. "Does anyone keep track of their lineage, then? So that they don't...you know..."

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do."

Before I could say anything else - as I continued standing there in awe, absorbed in watching my former enemies' progeny at play - she asked, "Do you have children, Colonel?"

"Yes," I answered. "A girl and three boys."

"You said you knew your father. Do they know theirs?"

I nodded, folding my arms across my chest. "My husband is their dad. It's very typical for human kids to stay with their own mothers and fathers, and they know exactly who they are." There were exceptions, of course - single parents, divorced parents, adopted kids, foster kids, orphaned kids, or women who'd never really known who the father of their baby might be. But I thought that was getting a little too deep into the subject for this conversation.

I frowned in thought then as I realized something. "Your kids don't know their fathers? Is your husband - Shipmaster 'Vettel - not one of them?"

Sennu nodded. "He is. It is difficult to miss the resemblance in Hejer. He is nearly fully grown." Then she turned to a smaller but very aggressive Sangheili, one I assumed was the youngest. "Valek, on the other hand - he has the true tenacity of a swordsman. Just like _his_ father."


	26. Chapter 25: Just Getting Started

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Just Getting Started**

The first thing that struck me when Sennu answered was that 'Vettel's son was the older - not the younger. I'd assumed since her sons had different fathers that she'd been previously married, or coupled up with someone else before that - not that she'd had Valek _during_ her current marriage.

Maybe their form of marriage didn't mean the same as ours did.

"So Valek has a different father, but he's not your husband," I said.

"No."

I nodded, though I wasn't sure I truly understood. "That's interesting. Once you're married in our society, any form of...romantic attachment or copulation with someone who's not your spouse is very frowned upon. Is that more acceptable to Sangheili?"

Sennu shook her head. "Our concept of marriage is very like your own, from what Commander Cooper has explained to me. A lifetime partnership with another, yes? A joining of two houses to form your own. Producing offspring."

"Okay. I'm following so far. I guess I just don't - " I suddenly stopped myself then and shook my head. "I'm sorry. This is probably not my business."

"You wonder if our concepts of marriage remain similar, how it is I have a child with another."

"Well, yes." I quickly held up my hands. "I don't mean to pry. It's just - " I took a deep breath. "I almost broke my wedding vows several months ago. I was punished for it, under military regulations, and rightfully so. It hurt my husband and my family. Deeply. So I don't understand - well, how your husband would agree with - "

"My having a youngling that is not his," she finished.

When I nodded again, she gave me what I interpreted as a side-long glance.

"In Sangheili society, we have a class of warriors who do not marry. However, their bloodline is valuable, and as such, must continue. Since they do not have a partner of their own, they are encouraged to breed with whom they choose. Regardless of marital status. Asàk was one such warrior - a swordsman. And he chose me."

"And 'Vettel was okay with that? Were you?"

She clicked her mandibles. "I do not take your meaning. It is a duty we must perform. All Sangheili know this."

It still didn't sit well with me, but I couldn't make her understand what I meant if that wasn't the way they viewed things. But I found the practice disturbing. I couldn't imagine being forced to create and carry a new life with someone I hadn't chosen, and didn't love.

"Do women in your society have any say in their partnerships? Or are your marriages arranged?"

"Arranged?"

I frowned. "Is your partner...assigned to you."

"Ah. No. I chose Tal to be my husband. Other females may freely choose as well." She titled her head at me. "You chose your partner?"

"Yes. Only small segments of our society do otherwise."

She continued to stare. "Then why did you seek another?"

"That's a good question." I sighed. "It's complicated. I'm not sure that any answer can justify it. But I can assure you my husband was _not_ happy. We almost divorced over it."

"Divorced?"

"A dissolution of marriage. A...split between you and your partner. A big break-up."

Sennu said nothing, still not comprehending.

For my part, I was stumped. I was surprised they didn't have a word for that. "In your society, you have no way of ending a marriage?"

"Death."

She said it with such severity that I couldn't help but chuckle. "Fair enough."

We finally moved on from the area with the younglings then, and Sennu showed me a surprisingly large part of the keep that, simply put, served as an enormous garden for all its inhabitants. I was taken with the sight of so many Elites - whom I'd only ever known as ruthless and relentless fighters - calmly tending to their version of fruits and vegetables. Between that and the children, I was seeing a softer side today that I'd never known existed.

By the end of our walk the air had warmed up, and I'd put on my sunglasses against the brightness.

I stuck out my hand to Sennu, and, though confused at first, she took it lightly and shook it.

"Thank you for your time, ma'am," I said to her. "And thanks for the tour. If you'll excuse me, I should get back to it."

Sennu nodded in return. "We will speak again soon, Colonel."

* * *

Once I took my leave, I jogged back to our side of the keep and headed for the makeshift medical tent some of the engineers had put up last night. Several Sangheili guards across the courtyard stared, keeping an eye on me since I was moving faster than we normally did inside the walls, but no one approached or tried to impede me.

"Hey, Doc," I said, nodding to my old friend, Corpsman Michael Reynolds, when I arrived. "I'm here to check on a patient of yours. Lance Corporal Stephen Lowell."

"Lowell," the medic responded, staring down at his datapad. "Came in after the skirmish at the LZ with a bullet in his hip."

"That's the one."

He finished looking over the file and glanced up again, his blue eyes meeting my green. "Recovering in bed ten, Colonel. You did some good work out there to stop the bleeding."

"Least I could do. He's part of my security detail; him and the rest put their lives on the line for me every day."

Reynolds smirked. "Not an easy task as I recall, ma'am."

I smiled a bit, too. "No."

The medic sobered then. "Well, he'll need some time to heal, of course, but other that, he's going to be just fine."

"Thanks, Michael." It was a huge relief knowing Lowell was okay. "Take good care of him."

"Will do, ma'am."

* * *

After grabbing a quick cup of coffee and some grub - just some powder mix and an MRE, since we had no mess of our own set up yet - I spent the rest of the morning conferring with our guards and patrol leaders. Fresh Marines had rotated in by now, from Murphy's battalion, although I didn't see the major around. I guessed he was probably out with the latest patrol, but I wasn't about to ask. So long as he was back in time for the briefing Mark and I had planned for this afternoon, it wasn't a problem to me.

By noon I'd done all the checking in and issuing of orders I could, so I decided to get together with Cal and my brother ahead of the meeting. After that, it was finally time.

I'd enlisted the help of some of the 8th Engineers not currently on watch to get a basic command tent up; it wasn't much more than a large holotable with some fold-out chairs around it, but it would do the job for now. It always took some time to get truly running in the beginning, and this time, we were operating on someone else's turf. A very _important_ someone we did not want to piss off by taking over all their available space. It was something I'd have to talk to Sennu about later.

Following the two spooks and I, my XO entered the tent first, then Willis. I hadn't seen him since I'd left our quarters early this morning, and he gave me a slight nod, which I returned. Murphy came in next, though both of us avoided eye contact. Lastly, Major Mullen - commanding my late best friend Oliver Hayden's infantry battalion - walked in.

In the moment, I thought how crazy it would've been to have Hayden here. I missed him.

"Good afternoon, everyone," I began. "As you may have guessed, our hot landing yesterday was not anticipated. We knew there were rebels on the ground - that's a given. But it's not so typical of them to be that bold around the keep. It's clear the rebs were tipped off that we were coming. Commander Cooper?"

Mark nodded to me. "Colonel." He faced the others then. "During the skirmish I went out on a solo mission to find out what prompted the attack. Since the destruction of a Sangheili temple ten klicks from here, the rebels have been on the defensive. They were few in number to begin with, so while there's been sustained fighting between the Swords and Insurgents in the area, it's never been up close. It would be suicide for them to do so."

"Until now," Lloyd finished. "From our reports, and from evidence Commander Cooper managed to procure last night, we learned a new unit of rebels has arrived - the command group, if you will. The Insurgents' leader, General Javier Laraza, appears to be among them - as does his daughter Sofía."

Standing directly across from me, Major Mullen frowned. "How did they get here?"

"Through Puget. Same portal as before," I answered, leaning forward slightly. "That's going to be our first order of business - I want a recon of the temple area, so we can get a lay of the land and confirmation on enemy strength, and who exactly might be involved. Then, we use all our resources on hand to shut that gateway down for good - before we deal with anything else.

"It won't be simple. There are Prometheans on-planet that have not been accounted for yet. And although it may not seem like it from here, many Sangheili outside these walls are at each other's throats and busy fighting their own fight. Not entirely our problem, but it could get overwhelming quickly if we encounter all these factions at once. So we do this cautiously, and we go in to see what's happening before we make our move. Questions?"

"Who'll be leading the recon, ma'am?" Major Delaney asked.

"That'll fall to your battalion. I'll need the Eighth Engineers here to coordinate with 'Vettel's wife to complete set-up for our side of the camp, and Wayne, I want your batt to take over security." I finally met my XO's gaze. "I'm going with you, Justin."

"Got it, Colonel."

"Major Hawk?" I said.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Your air wing will be in reserve for now as well. I'd like to get an aerial recon at some point, but right now, I don't want to tip our hand too soon. We know they're dirtside and they know _we_ are; I don't want to give away exact positions, or that we know theirs. Your pilots will be placed on standby."

"Acknowledged, Colonel."

"Lloyd, you'll be coming with the 213th and Delaney and I. It'd be good to have a spook on hand."

"Yes, ma'am."

I paused then for anymore inquiries, but there were none.

"All right. If you're coming out on recon, gear up. Mullen and Murphy, stay behind a moment so we can chat about how to approach the lady of the keep. The rest of you, dismissed."


	27. Chapter 26: Anything But Routine

Author's Note: Whew! Sorry about the long wait. No excuses, just took a while to get out.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Six: Anything But Routine**

"Laraza's here," Willis commented once I'd returned to our quarters. He was sitting at the expansive desk in the room - awkwardly tall for a human - with his datapad in hand, which he now set aside. "Now I know why you were so quiet last night when you got back."

I didn't respond right away. I'd just come from a strained conversation with Majors Mullen and Murphy in the makeshift CP, on top of my long chat with Sennu this morning; I wasn't exactly in the mood for more talk. Instead I stepped past his chair to my sea bag, where I'd dumped my helmet, gloves, rifle, and some other gear I'd need for the patrol. Even more so now after the briefing, I was anxious to get down to the real work.

As I was stashing stuff away in my web belt and cargo pockets, hunched over my bag, Willis got up and stopped in front of me, arms folded across his chest.

"Natalie?"

I glanced up. "Yeah?"

"What are you planning on doing if you see him?"

"Willis, please. Let's not do this now."

" _What_ are you going to do?"

The sudden tightness in his voice told me he was upset. I finished up with the few things I'd be taking with me, then stood and released a heavy sigh. Finally I put my hands on my hips and lifted my gaze again, and our eyes met.

We stood there a moment before I surprised him, leaning in to kiss him full on the lips. Though confused, he kissed me back.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to," I said softly.

He furrowed his brow at me but said nothing, until I turned away.

"Cooper - "

"I promise I'll try to stay safe. We should be back soon."

And with that, I hefted my pack and left the room.

* * *

After checking in one last time with my battalion commanders - and Mark - about the state of affairs around the keep, I met with my XO by the entrance. I felt a little bad about how I'd left things with Willis, but there'd be time to talk about any apprehension he felt when I got back. For now, I needed to get out of my head for a while and just _do_.

"We all set, Major?" I asked Delaney as I pulled on my helmet, and he nodded.

"Ready to move at your command, ma'am."

"All right. Let's go."

We took off in the opposite direction of the keep this time, away from the field we'd landed in the night before. Now in the daylight, I could see and appreciate the landscape of the Elite's homeworld – or at least this part of it. It was beautiful, all green grass and clear skies, with a surprisingly temperate climate. It made it hard not to think about my talk with Sennu; I imagined how differently the war may have gone if we'd known more about the Sangheili back then. I didn't think it could have been completely averted, but maybe our species could've allied sooner. Saved a few planets and billions of lives. We'd never know.

"Colonel? Can you hear me?"

Delaney's voice over the COM finally drew me from my thoughts.

"Go ahead, Major," I responded.

"I was just saying things look pretty calm out here, ma'am, considering last night." He hesitated then. "If you don't mind me saying, you seem a little distracted."

I gave a short, self-deprecating snort over our shared channel. "Not intentional. I was just thinking about my meeting with the lady of the keep this morning."

"Oh, yeah? What'd she say, if I may ask?"

"Got a tour of the place. Saw a lot of their kids and their gardens. I mean, if you'd told me ten years ago that this is what the Elites were like at home, I would've laughed in your face."

"Wow. That sounds…"

"Different than everything we ever imagined about them?"

"Yeah."

I gripped my rifle tighter in my hands as I walked. "Well, I definitely never would've thought the Sangheili would make better allies than members of our own species."

"Copy that, Colonel."

As we continued the march I found myself surprised at the lack of activity as well. This was unusual, especially considering we now knew Laraza was dirtside.

"Stay sharp, Marines," I said over the COM. "Things aren't likely to remain like this."

I watched as the troops ahead of us began to move more slowly. We were back in the woods for now, but I could see that some of Delaney's Marines had already made it to a clearing up ahead.

For a while nothing happened. I felt the warmth hit me as soon as I stepped back into the sunlight.

And an instant later, one of the men beside me was sniped through the head.

I heard it and felt it rather than saw, and maybe that was worse. There was an echoing _ping_ as the bullet entered the Marine's helmet and then exited, and the piercing of flesh when it went through his brain. His blood sprayed onto my uniform sleeve and all over the ground.

I immediately threw myself into the grass - and before I even landed, Gunny York was on me, shielding me from any more shots.

"Major, what's our situation?" I yelled into the COM channel.

"Rebs, ma'am! They've got eyes on the field!"

A second _crack_ sounded, and another Marine, further ahead in the column, dropped.

Gritting my teeth, still under much of York's weight, and I shouted, "Delaney, move them forward!"

"On it!"

We could move up or back, but we couldn't stay here. And I wasn't about to order a retreat just yet. The only other option then was to run straight through the small field.

"Up, up!" I said to York, tapping his side hard, and he finally rose to a crouch and pulled me up.

Ahead of us, Delaney's whole point column was rushing towards the incoming fire. More Marines began to fall.

Through it all my heart pounded in my chest, more due to fear than the run. I felt like I'd just made an enormous mistake. We could easily be slaughtered out here.

"Colonel! What do you want us to do?" my XO shouted.

"Just make it to the trees!" I called back.

Of course that was easier said than done. A bullet whizzed past my head, making me duck as I ran, but I didn't slow my pace. My hide was on the line so I didn't dare. Instead I zigzagged, holding my rifle tight to my chest, my security detail surrounding me as best they could as they, too, hoofed it to the line of trees where the forest resumed.

I didn't really register much as I ran, other than the urgency to move forward and get to safety. That singular focus was shattered once I actually made it to the trees, and one last shot hit the earth right behind me.

That was two close calls already.

I paused then, breathing hard. We were out of sight again, but I knew that wouldn't last.

Delaney was beside me in short order.

"Ma'am, whatever element of surprise we had just went out the damn window."

"I'm aware of that, Major." I shook my head, frustrated. "And we can't rush back out there, either."

 _Shit._ We needed to get a good look at what was left of the temple and its surroundings. But the rebels were clearly not going to make this easy – especially since they had reinforcements waiting in the wings now.

This recon had just gotten a whole lot trickier.

I keyed the COM as I went down on one knee, detail around me. "Marines, stay sharp and hold for now."

Seeing our dilemma, Caleb jogged over as Delaney's men formed a perimeter at my order and fanned out.

"Colonel, I think I've got an idea on how to circumvent this without risking the whole battalion."

I gestured openly with my arms. "Let's hear it."

"Send me out to get a good read," he said. "We weren't expecting so much resistance this far out from the temple. I can at least give you a better look of what we're up against, without us getting shot."

I snorted. "But _you'd_ be the one getting shot."

"Yes, ma'am. But just one person's going to be harder to spot."

"Cal, I can't – "

"Let me do this, ma'am. Please."

Releasing a sigh, I wracked my brain for a moment and honestly didn't see another way. The woods only lasted for so long, and then the entire battalion would be exposed again. And time was of the essence – they knew we were here, so we couldn't stay parked for too long. I just needed to know what was out there before deciding on a plan of action. "Okay, Commander. Go."

Lloyd nodded and took off. I exchanged a quick glance with Delaney then, who only stared back. Neither of us knew if this would work – or if I'd just sent my best friend to his death.

* * *

Waiting wasn't my MO, and so I found it hard to essentially sit on my laurels while I waited for news from my buddy. It was getting hot underneath my uniform jacket and armor, so I rolled up the sleeves and then pulled up my helmet's visor for a moment, wiping the sweat off my face. Even the silence was stressful – I knew if a single shot rang out, it'd likely mean something horrible for Caleb.

I felt like I didn't even breathe again until amazingly, he came back unharmed.

"All right, Colonel," he said, crouching beside me with his rifle in his hands, barrel pointed down. "I've got a fix for you. But you're not going to like it."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

He let out a sigh. "They've got this end of the forest painted. That's a given. However, that also means most of their resources are aimed in this direction. They've got their six covered as well. But their flanks are wide open."

I frowned. "That's got to be by design. Why would they do that?"

"Lack of resources? Even their new unit wouldn't give them the numbers for a heavy defense on all sides. That's our only shot at getting through to the temple and taking a look."

I mulled it over for a moment. It sounded like a good in. And that was exactly why I didn't trust it.

I keyed the COM then, decision made. "Delaney, it's Cooper. Keep half the batt here in reserve. The rest of us are going to flank around. Our spook says we've got an in, but after that clumsy entrance, I want all our bases covered."

"Yes, ma'am."

My frown deepened as I used my HUD to bring up a small map of the area. The woods extended all the way out to the right, but then to move forward, we'd be exposed once again. The left approach was worse, with the treeline ending in a poor location. _At least I won't be putting everyone in harm's way again,_ I thought.

"Marines, we're on the move. Head through the trees on the right flank. We'll have cover most of the way there, but then our asses'll be hanging in the wind, so get ready."

Acknowledgment lights winked green and I replaced the map with normal vision again. I wasn't entirely convinced this would work – but I was confident it'd be our best option.

While my XO stayed behind with half of his unit, I moved forward with the rest, Cal included. I was counting on the rebs not wanting to make any rash moves and avoid a full-on assault on the woods. So we had some time, even if it'd be brief.

It wasn't at all how I'd wanted this to go. But now that we were here, I had to manage the hand we'd been dealt.

Opening a private channel to my XO as we moved, I said, "Major Delaney?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"See if you can keep the rebs on your end on their toes. Do _not_ risk anyone. But get some sharpshooters on the line by the trees and have 'em take a couple shots. If nothing else it might keep their heads down, and hopefully focus their efforts there."

"Understood."

Not long after I heard gunfire at our back, the sharp _cracks_ of sniper rifles echoing through the forest - ours this time. I hoped the small distraction would work. The rebels knew where Delaney's group was, but not that _we_ had splintered off - and were currently headed for their weakest point. It was a definite gamble. One I prayed would pay off.

When we got to the edge of the trees, I almost let out a sigh of relief when I heard the grin in my buddy's voice.

"We're good, ma'am," he said over the COM. "The guards the rebs had on this end must've been waved off to focus on the front. Looks like they're spread very thin out here."

"Excellent," I replied. "Let's move."

We still kept our wits about us as we ran quickly through the field and into enemy lines. My heart was pounding in my chest throughout the maneuver, but it finally died down again as I realized we'd made it.

Up ahead, I could see the ruins.

"Goddamn. They fucking leveled this place."

"We've known that since Mars, sadly," I replied. _That's how this whole thing started._

"Yeah, but...shit. It's different seeing it up close."

Cal was right. I'd seen pictures of the place before the rebs had arrived, while we'd been in transit. A once-beautiful and grand ancient building was now nothing but a huge pile of rubble - broken chunks of architecture and Sangheili history just lying in a field. I found myself getting angry at the scene before me, and I wasn't even an Elite. Why our fellow humans had chosen to do this - to start yet another war with an enemy turned unsteady ally we knew was formidable, when we were already fighting each other - was beyond me.

Finally I sighed. "Instead of being grateful we didn't all become extinct eight years ago, here we are - poking at the hornet's nest."

"Ma'am?"

"Nothing, Commander. Let's keep going."


	28. Chapter 27: Blood and Metal

Author's Note: Back again! Sorry for the delay, picking up right where we left off...

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven: Blood and Metal**

We could hear more gunfire behind us as we continued towards the ruined temple. Still a little unnerved by the quiet on our side, I opened up a private channel to my XO.

"Delaney? Status?"

"Holding on for now, ma'am," he responded. "The rebs are returning fire on our snipers, but nothing's hit yet. Our sharpshooters know to stay mobile."

"Glad to hear it."

"Although, we do have a small group that appears to have splintered off. Either they're on their way to us to get a better read on our numbers...or they know we've got a second infil team heading up their flank."

"Got it. Either way, we need to hurry. Cooper out."

I switched channels then to broadcast to Cal and the Marines with us.

"Everyone, listen up. The major's group can't stay put forever, and it looks like we may have some of the party coming our way. Keep your weapons hot and let's get this done quick."

So far we'd only encountered human rebels, rather than Prometheans or even other Elites, and we knew the insurgents' lines were heavily fortified in some places and not at all on others. I still wondered about that. Why they'd set up in that way, and why they'd spread themselves so thin.

"Cal?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

I frowned, even though I knew he couldn't see it. "What do you think's going on out here? Why wouldn't the rebs tighten up their security around the temple or the portal if they didn't have the manpower to cover all this ground? Why keep us from even going _near_ it?"

"Wish I knew, Colonel. The best I can think is - "

A sudden pulse went through the field, cutting the spook off mid-sentence. In an instant all of our electronics were shot.

And a moment later, all-too-familiar light rounds started pouring in.

"Down, get down!" I shouted through my helmet's external speakers, going flat against the earth myself. "And return fire! It's the Prometheans!"

They'd been absent until now, and I suddenly realized why this supposed "good in" was not good at all. Of course the rebels hadn't been worried about guarding their flanks; their army of AI-bots were covering it for them.

We were in deep trouble now.

Wasting no time, I brought my battle rifle up and aimed down the sights, opening fire at the first of the Knights and Watchers that appeared in the distance, even as my HUD rebooted and my radio crackled again. This time, a stressed Delaney was on the other end.

"Ma'am? We're hearing the reports from over here. What's – "

I growled and cut off the audio. Not something I'd normally do, but this wasn't a good time or place to get distracted. Not now.

Instead I squeezed the trigger again, bringing down a Watcher that was coming straight at us before I set my sights on its partner. Two bursts of zoomed-in fire took it down, making the drone burst into bits of charred metal that hit the field right by the Knight. Now without an escort, the Knight teleported ahead, getting as close as fifty meters out while I tracked it with my gun. I tried my best to focus on it, but it was hard not to notice the whole enormous wave of AI-bots pushing forward behind it.

 _Welcome to Sanghelios, Cooper._

The thought flashed through my mind as I fired three more bursts, hitting the Knight head-on and making it disappear in a spiral of orange light. I was glad it was gone, but I still couldn't be relieved yet given the circumstances.

I had half of the 213th with me, though, and they were lined up and ready. Beside me, a young lieutenant got her platoon situated near my security detail, established an MG in the center, just ahead of our position, and the large-caliber gun came to life.

Invigorated by the sounds of battle – and with a part of me wishing I still was that young LT myself, truly getting in on the action with what felt like a big responsibility at the time but seemed so very small now – I said into the general channel, "Keep it up, Marines! Let's push them back!"

For a moment I dropped back to reload, as safe as I could be behind the MG, and I let the spent mag fall to the ground. I grabbed a fresh one from my ammo belt and slapped it home. Then I crept forward just a little, going down on one knee near my detail to get a clear line of sight.

"That's _a lot_ of fucking bots, ma'am!" Cal yelled over our shared channel. "Not what I expected!"

"Yeah? My brother didn't mention this?"

"No, ma'am!"

I shook my head as I fired off another trio of bursts at some Crawlers further out. "Sounds like I'll have to have a talk with him!"

Two doggie bots went down in mid-run, pushed back by the hail of bullets. Both were sparking from the hits before they finally began smoking and sputtered out. But as soon as they gave out, even more took their place.

"Cal, give me the skinny!"

"It's not looking good, Colonel! There's more of them than us, and it looks like we're attracting even more interest now!"

I frowned, wondering what he meant until I felt a bullet whizz past my head.

From _behind_ us. That was not good.

"Major, what's your status?" I said into the channel, reopening our connection, and my XO didn't hesitate.

"Colonel, you've got incoming on your six! I repeat, rebs on your six! We weren't able to stop 'em all!"

" _Goddammit_."

I spat the word out and gripped my rifle tighter in my hands. I should've expected everything to go to hell on this run – I'd had enough experience – but getting surrounded hadn't been on my list of possibilities.

Everything about this patrol felt cursed.

While I rejoined the Marines beside me in concentrating up front, I fired a quick burst and then glanced behind us. My eyes went wide when I spotted not just infantry headed our way, but an older model Scorpion tank as well, roaring slowly ahead.

 _Shit. Shit!_

My mind and pulse both went into overdrive then as I keyed the COM. "Delaney, get here now, Major!"

"On our way!"

Cursing as I cut the connection, I tried my best to stop the incoming horde in one direction and attempted to contain the rebs in the other, all while directing the flow of combat for my men. After another several rounds went right through a Knight, dangerously close to us now, I brought my BR back up and finally heard the _click click_ of a spent mag. I cursed again as I tossed it out and jammed in a fresh one.

I hadn't wanted to do this yet, but at this point, it was time. We wouldn't survive out here much longer on our own.

"Major Hawk?" I said over the general channel, taking in a quick breath to keep my voice clear. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. We need of _immediate_ air support by the ruins. Please respond."

Over this channel, broadcast to all, Willis couldn't make his surprise known. "Ma'am? Come again?"

"Air support, Major. _Now_. What's your ETA?"

I heard my husband swallow quickly on the other end. "Yes, ma'am. I'll scramble the pilots now. ETA is four minutes, Colonel."

Behind me I could hear the subtle maneuvering of the Scorpion tank, and I wasn't sure if we'd even make it that long with everything we were facing. To Willis, I said, "Understood, Hawk. Make it three."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I cut the connection then and ran forward once more, rifle raised as I fired alongside my Marines.

"Delaney, let us know when you break through. We've got air support incoming, so just hold tight."

All we needed now was a small miracle. After bringing down more Watchers and seeing Gunny York take down half a dozen Crawlers on his own with his SAW, acting in tandem with the nearby MG to push as much firepower at the enemy as possible, I crouched low and moved up again.

This time, I went up to the lieutenant I'd seen before and tapped her on the shoulder.

Her eyes momentarily went wide. "Colonel?"

"Listen. As fast as you possibly can, I want you and your platoon to disengage, right now. Don't turn back, but that Scorpion's got us in its sights."

"What - "

"Don't worry. I'll handle it."

Before she could respond I turned again, stepping away and facing the tank so I could keep a visual on it as it moved. At the same time, I hailed the Marines with me. "Heavy weapons, let's get some ordnance on that tank!"

There was only a small fireteam of heavies with us, and I greatly regretted that. We needed more firepower for both the incoming Prometheans and the rebs, but couldn't do both. I found myself thinking I should have anticipated more, done more, to ensure our safety on this route, but those thoughts wouldn't help solve anything now that we were in the thick of it.

Nothing made that more clear than the sudden, deep _kaboom!_ we heard come from the tank.

"Get dow - !"

I hit the earth just as the resounding explosion drowned out what would have been my order to my men. For a long moment I laid there, hands covering my helmet, as the shockwave shifted the dirt and grass beneath us. Through it all I saw my head of security, York, crawl forward fast to get to me, along with two other Marines from my detail. I already felt safe enough, as being able to see and hear meant I wasn't dead yet and the impact hadn't killed me - but the same couldn't be said for the others around us. As quickly as I could, I turned back to survey the damage.

Our whole MG line, where I'd just been moments before, was gone.

 _Fuck._

"Heavy weapons, fire back! Now!"

I waited until I heard the sound of rockets streaking through the air before gesturing to York and the others to move with me. My heart was in my throat the whole time, pulse pounding, as I went to confirm what I already knew.

That lieutenant I'd been envious of a minute ago? I found her body amongst her men, amongst the blackened crater in the tall grass where the large-cal machine gun that had been keeping the bots at bay until now had been torn apart - and so had my Marines' bodies.

I'd failed her. I'd failed all of them. I'd told her I'd get it handled, and instead they were now dead.

It was Gunny York who finally had to snap me out of it.

"Colonel, we _cannot_ stay here! We have _got_ to go!"

That's when my temper got the better of me again, and I snapped.

"To _where_ , Sergeant!" I yelled in his face. "We are fucking surrounded! There is nowhere to retreat to!"

A sudden scream nearby made both of us turn. We were just in time to see one of the heavy weapons Marines drop from a burst of gunfire to the chest. The rebs got him. In the distance, I could see that the Scorpion tank was smoking now, but still very much in play.

 _Willis, you'd better fucking hurry._

Things were falling apart faster than I could have anticipated. With one of our prominent MG lines gone as well, the Prometheans on the other side were converging quickly on our position. The sizzle of light rounds in the air on our six was thickening.

Acting fast, I grabbed my security lead by the arm and shouted, "The crater! We'll use it as cover! Go!"

York, my detail and I sprinted for the blackened hole, still smoking, ahead of us. I really had no choice but to trust Major Delaney and the heavies to get it done behind us, because there was very little stopping the horde of Prometheans here. We were pretty much it.

The gunnery sergeant and I hit the dirt at the same time, and I almost winced. The earth was still hot beneath us - not scorching, but a bit uncomfortable. And the smell...the smell nearly made me wretch. I had to push a Marine body aside to get a better vantage point, and it was only when I glanced down that I realized why it'd been so easy to do so. It'd only been half of a Marine; his torso and legs were completely gone.

As my detail began to fire at the bots ahead of us, I quickly pulled off my helmet and heaved.

Yeah. It'd been a while since my stomach had revolted in combat.

"Colonel?" York asked in a high pitch, although he never took his eyes off the Prometheans, and didn't stop firing.

I pulled my helmet back on fast and shook myself, bringing my BR to bear once more. "I'm good. Let's get these bots down!"

And that's exactly what we did for two solid minutes that felt like the longest in my whole entire life. Well, maybe minus my time in captivity. Most of the Prometheans were just several meters out now, and the constantly teleporting Knights and Watchers and Crawlers made it hard for our diminishing lines to put a dent in their forward march. I'd just sent a grenade sailing out when one of my detail beside me was hit, light rounds dotting and piercing the flesh at his neck and helmet. He dropped backwards into the hole, amongst the other several dead, before the 'nade went off in a group of bots and sent sparks and parts flying.

I swallowed hard, grit my teeth and held my weapon tighter. It didn't help that we were running low on ammo now, too.

Keying the general channel, I yelled, "Hawk, we need those birds here _now_! Right now, or we're - "

"This is Talon!" came the almost immediate reply, much to my great relief. "We're on station! Colonel, keep your heads down!"

"Roger that!"

Just like that, the tide suddenly changed. The first large explosion we witnessed was what we'd most hoped to see - one of the first payloads Willis's squadrons dropped was on the rebel lines behind us, and the smoking Scorpion tank lit up in a fireball that enveloped many of the insurgents around it. Having been the near-victim of similar circumstances years ago on the Tsavo Highway, the sight made me shudder, but not out of regret for the lives lost. I didn't give a shit about rebels anymore, only the memory. And the best friend I'd lost.

I tried to watch the remainder of the run, but the Pelicans were too fast. As soon as they'd dropped in they were gone again, and while much of what was behind us had been decimated, they were still plenty of enemies in front.

Feeling renewed energy, I rose above the lip of the crater and aimed at the closest bots again, downing three Crawlers in succession as even the Prometheans seemed to have momentarily stopped at the commotion. It was only then that I hailed Delaney again and asked, "Major, sitrep?"

"We've reached the rebels' lines, ma'am! So glad to see that tank gone! We'll try to make headway on the rest!"

"No need to win this, Delaney! We just need an out! There's still too many!"

"Acknowledged!"

I kept firing along with York and my detail beside me, as well as other Marines who'd survived the earlier attack that had killed their fellows and their lieutenant, until I heard the final sound of a spent mag once more. It'd been my last one. I tossed the mag out and slung my rifle over my shoulder, ready to fight with only my sidearm now, but then I heard the general channel crackle again.

"Cooper, we're coming in for a second pass."

"Got it! Try to tag all the bots you can, we're getting overrun!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

I'd just squeezed the trigger on my pistol when a bloom of explosions suddenly lit up the horde up ahead. I kept myself plastered to the side of the crater, as did York on my right, all while the earth moved almost in concert underneath us. When the squadrons had passed above again, I lifted my head up to see the scrap metal and devastation left in their wake.

And somehow, even more AI-bots rose from the ashes in the distance.

 _It's now or never,_ I thought, and I quickly got up and keyed the COM.

"Marines, pull back! I repeat, pull back! Fall back to Major Delaney's position and retreat!"

It was the toughest order I'd had to give so far. I didn't want the mission to fail. But we'd already lost far too many Marines on what should've been a simple recon, and it wasn't worth risking more in my mind, especially when we were outnumbered and outgunned. Having Willis in the skies helped, but I still feared it wouldn't be enough, and we at least had some intel now. It was time to go.

"Hawk, you, too - head back to the keep. And thank you."

"No problem, Coop," my husband answered on a private channel. "Get back safe."

"I always do."

After this op gone so terribly sideways, however, I wondered about that. We'd only barely escaped with our lives because of our air support - a component of our forces I hadn't even wanted to use yet. As we crawled out of the blackened crater, no longer smoking now but still warm, I glanced down at the bodies and thought about the cost. A whole MG crew, one of my security team, and an eager junior officer, all gone.

And now we were retreating and leaving our dead.

That could have just as easily been me lying there, torn up at the bottom of the hole. The fact that it wasn't was only the callous roulette of war. My numbers weren't up yet, for whatever reason. I knew that.

But theirs had been, and it hurt.


	29. Chapter 28: Honest to a Fault

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Honest to a Fault**

"Natalie, you're back! How was it? What did you find?"

My brother met me at the entrance to the keep, all enthusiasm to learn what we'd discovered by the ruins of the Sangheili temple. Instead of answering right away, though, I brushed past him as I tore off my helmet and gloves.

"I don't want to talk about it now," I said after a moment, busying myself with shoving my discarded gear in my pockets. What would fit, anyway. Then I glanced up. "Where's Sennu?"

Mark flipped a thumb behind him. "In the courtyard with the Elite kids, I think." He looked me up and down for the first time, probably noting the blood and dirt all over the front of my uniform, and his expression turned serious. "Jesus, Nat. What happened to you guys?"

I waved him off again. "Later."

I didn't have the heart to say how badly the recon had gone, and how we'd almost forfeited our lives over some mildly useful information. Right now, I just needed to let our Sangheili host know what was lurking in her backyard.

But my big brother stopped me, gently grabbing hold of my arm. "Hey. Did you find Laraza?"

"No," was all I responded before I roughly shook him off and walked away.

While I went over to the Elites' living space and gardens, I used the bud in my ear to contact Majors Murphy and Mullen, making sure nothing had gone awry at the keep while we'd been gone, like things had for us. Thankfully there was nothing to report from either battalion commander. I should've checked in with Willis then and made sure his pilots got back okay, but I didn't, instead ordering Murphy's batt to rotate out on perimeter watch and bringing Mullen's in to rest, and continued on my way.

The sight that met me at the courtyard was in stark contrast to what I'd encountered at the temple - Sangheili young were playing in the afternoon sun, some of the bigger ones sparring off to the side, seemingly without a care in the world. Meanwhile, I'd witnessed at least a dozen of my Marines killed in the span of twenty minutes out by the ruins. It made me ball up my fists at my sides, one hand curling tightly around the inside of my helmet. I had to stop and close my eyes for a minute, taking in a deep breath before going forward.

"Lieutenant Colonel Cooper," Sennu said as I approached. "You have returned." She clicked her mandibles. "And you have seen battle."

"I have," I replied. I shifted my stance, folding my arms across my chest, and felt weary all of a sudden. "Respectfully, ma'am, I don't think you realize the extent of the danger out at the temple. Human insurgents have grown in number and strength since we've arrived, their leader is now groundside, and the Promethean presence is formidable. I just lost _fifteen_ men from a simple recon." I ran a quick hand over my put-up hair then, collecting my thoughts. "Whatever measures you think you've put up around here shielding your people from this, they're not safe. I can tell you that now."

The Elite female regarded me for a moment. "You are very direct for a human."

"I can't afford not to be."

"What do you propose, human?"

Gripping my helmet in both hands now as I held it against my stomach, I said, "We've got a good read on numbers now. I'd like to give my unit some time to regroup, and then go back out near the temple and go for the full assault." I shook my head as I glanced down at the dirt beneath my boots before meeting her gaze again. "The only thing that'll stop this from becoming truly overwhelming is shutting down that portal nearby, so no one else gets through. For that, we're going to need your help. There's too many of those rebel bastards surrounding the place."

She continued to regard me, not answering for a time. When she lifted her gaze to look out at the younglings playing in the field - when I was starting to think her delay might be because she'd refuse or brush off my concerns - she finally spoke again. "You and your brother have appeared trustworthy so far. I believe you when you say the situation has grown more serious than before."

"But?"

Sennu turned back to me. "You also strike me as impulsive, angry. The way you speak of your fellow humans...they are not just an enemy to you. They are like what our two species once were to each other - a deeper hatred, born of years of warfare and violence." She gave me a pointed look. "You have told me many of your men were killed in the fighting today. That may speak to the enemies' numbers, but it may also speak to your aggression, and lack of thought before action."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she shook her head.

"You seem not unlike Sangheili males. There is knowledge and intelligence, but also an overwhelming bloodlust. A need for vengeance and to defend your honor through battle. And that, I do not understand, coming from you."

I almost snorted. "The Swords are also engaged in a war with their own, aren't they? Is it so hard to believe humans are just as hostile toward one another as you?"

"Perhaps. But I believe what you feel towards the human rebels is...personal. And that may cloud your judgment."

My first thought was to deny Sennu's claims. To tell her that she was wrong, that I was clear and levelheaded, and that the dangers we faced on Sanghelios - and in this keep - were real. But I also wanted to be straight with her, as she had been with me. So I let out a sigh.

"I do hate the rebs. I won't deny that. And it's because of - it _is_ of a personal nature." I had to swallow to go on. "Before this, I was commander of a mission on another planet, one of our human colonies, and...something happened there. Horrific, terrible. It's not something I ever want to experience again, but it taught me a lot of things. About myself, about the humans we face, about who we maybe really are as a species." I paused, then said in a low voice, "It changed everything for me."

Sennu listened attentively as I spoke, but didn't seem to have a response. Rather than reply directly, she looked out at the Sangheili young again. "I am beginning to find humans more complex than I once believed," she finally said. "The Swords share an ideological difference with our brothers. You share that as well, but have also truly _felt_ what that _means_. You have born the brunt of what was once only a disagreement, and what is now a war. You have spilled your own people's blood, and they yours."

When I didn't answer, she went on.

"I will send a small scouting party of Sangheili to the temple tonight. If the situation is as you say, we will help you stop them."

* * *

There was a lot to get done after I finished speaking with Sennu. My brother still wanted an update, I needed to check in with Delaney and make sure the rest of the 213th was faring okay and getting some rest, I needed to look in on our wounded, and I needed to find Cal. I also wanted to see Willis.

But for the next few minutes, at least, what I needed most was a reprieve.

That's how I found myself in the middle of the courtyard by the fire pit again - unlit this time of day, but somehow the sight was still comforting. I knew I couldn't completely relax as there were Sangheili guards and Marines everywhere, but I could take a short breather. I set my helmet down on the ground but remained standing, then pulled my canteen from my web belt to take a long swig before pouring some of the water straight on my head. The cool liquid felt refreshing in the hot Sangheili sun. When it was done, I ran a wet hand over my now-damp hair and stared at the dirt.

I thought about what the _kaidon_ had said. Memories of my internment, and Ethan, and my break-up with Willis - along with the looks on our four kids' faces when we'd come back from Puget and told them we were separating, shattering their world - all flashed through my mind. A lot had changed in only a few months. And I had to wonder, briefly, if Sennu wasn't right.

Had I jumped back into this too soon? Was I truly ready and prepared to fight the rebs here - and Laraza - in a judicious way? Or was I still too hurt, too angry, too overwhelmed at everything that had happened, to really see that clearly?

I'd managed to do my job back on Puget, even amidst the immense heartache I'd felt after Willis and I split. But that was before our return home. Before the trial, before my demotion - all of which had put salt in the wound.

I just wasn't sure at this point. Even though I knew I had to be, to lead my men and finally see this through.

Thankfully, another thought came to mind soon after: Willis and I had reconciled now, and made great strides in our relationship. I had someone to lean on again. I didn't have to figure this all out by myself anymore.

I realized then that I didn't just want to see him. I needed him.

The idea of having him around again made the uncertainty more bearable. Even if I made a mistake, even if I'd let my men down and made a poor tactical choice on the recon that had cost lives, I could turn it around. It didn't have to be a total failure if we used what we'd learned to defeat our enemies - or at least strike a decisive blow by destroying the portal.

So I wiped the water from my forehead, picked up my helmet, and headed for our quarters, hoping to find him there. If not, he'd only be a quick hail away.

I felt a flutter of nervousness as I walked up, mostly because I hadn't showered yet and was still in my dirty and bloodied battledress uniform. But I pushed that aside and tried to go in.

My first clue that something was wrong was that I couldn't open the door. My second was that when I finally knocked, my husband emerged.

Furious.

"Get out!" he shouted, even though I hadn't even taken a step forward yet. "Get out, stay out, and don't come here again. In fact, don't _talk_ to me again. Just leave me the hell alone. We're through."

"What?" I almost staggered back, confused. "Willis, what's - "

"You lied!" he yelled again. "You lied to me, and because of that, we're done. For good this time."

"But - "

My husband held up a hand, stopping me. "I don't want to hear it. I want a divorce when we get back. I'm putting your stuff outside, and then you need to leave."


	30. Chapter 29: A Minute Changes the World

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Minute Changes the World**

 **1309 Hours, July 11, 2561. Outskirts of Vettel Keep** **, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Nine of the Enemy of My Enemy**

Willis let out a long breath as he sat in the cockpit of his Pelican, then finally undid his harness and stood. He'd just returned from the close air support run at the ruins and the adrenaline was winding down. He'd remained in the skies with his pilots until Cooper's XO, Major Delaney, had called them off, telling him the lieutenant colonel was busy getting her Marines disengaged from the fight. Willis almost hadn't wanted to take the other major's word for it, but Cooper briefly entered the general channel and confirmed. So he'd reluctantly gone back to base, not at all sure if his wife had made it out safe until she hailed him later, on his way back, via their private channel.

As he moved to the back of the bird and out the hatch, he pulled off his helmet and wondered at the state of things. Natalie had called on his squadrons twice now to get out of a tough spot. It wasn't his place to say anything, but he knew her better than anyone, and he was beginning to question why she was suddenly making increasingly reckless choices - even more so than usual. He figured it might be best to broach the subject - delicately - when she had a moment.

For now, though, he had some downtime while he waited. He did his usual walk-around the Pelican, checking in with the enlisted mechanics and techs, made sure they were on top of the rearm and refuel, and then addressed his air wing. After that they were officially on standby again, and Hawk went back to his and Cooper's quarters, intent on a quick nap.

He dropped his gear by the tall desk in the room, unzipped his flightsuit to the crotch and stepped out of it. He kept his T-shirt on underneath and pulled on a pair of PT shorts over his boxers, falling onto the bunk stomach-first as his eyes fluttered shut.

It wasn't more than a few minutes before he realized sleep wouldn't come so easily. Not until Natalie was back. So he rolled over onto his back and sighed.

Something in the motion made a light catch from the corner of his eye. He turned over again and scooted up on the bed, seeing his wife's datapad blinking on the nightstand. That was odd. She almost always had it with her in the field.

Curious, he looked at the lit display. _One new message,_ it read.

Willis paused. He knew he shouldn't. But something compelled him, and he opened it.

Shock traveled up his arm and through his body when he did.

The sender was listed as LT ACKERSON, E.J.

 _Natalie,_

 _I've got to say, it was harder than I thought leaving you behind. I know I said this to you in person, but I'm sorry about the trial, the demotion, and the trouble I caused for you at home. I didn't mean for everything to get as complicated as it did, and I'm sure you didn't, either._

 _But one thing I won't apologize for is how I feel. I love you, still, after all this. And after all that went down between us, and you and Willis - I wasn't so sure you felt the same. You told me you didn't on Puget, but then during the trial, and after...I felt something again. And I guess you did, too, because you surprised me with that hug and kiss before I finally left. When you said goodbye._

 _That kiss meant everything to me._

Willis could feel his blood beginning to boil now. Natalie had told him it was done, that it was over - that she loved _him_ , not Ethan. He'd made her promise that she wouldn't contact him again once he left. And here was her old ex, messaging her after the fact - and now revealing something else Willis hadn't known, either. A detail that shook him to his core and cut straight through his heart. Something he almost would've rather not known.

 _Anyway, I'm not sure what the point of this is. I guess just to tell you what I still feel for you. And to see if you really meant what you did. If you ever have second thoughts...I'll be here._

 _Ethan_

It took all the self-control Willis could muster not to throw the device against the wall and watch it shatter into a thousand pieces. As it was he tossed it onto the bunk and stood, suddenly pacing. The short message was like a bomb that kept exploding. Ethan hadn't just had feelings for Natalie - he was _in love with her_. They'd been in contact again. _She'd kissed him again_ , after she and Willis had already gotten back together. It was too much.

Hawk decided then and there that he was done. Nothing could overcome this now - he didn't care what she had to say about it, didn't want to talk, didn't want to try to work it out anymore. This was clear as day to him. She'd cheated, again, and her old boyfriend was waiting for her. Well, he could fucking have her, then.

Willis was still raging inside, trying to make sense of the anger and hurt and betrayal, when he heard a knock at the door.

Cooper was back.


	31. Chapter 30: More Than You Bargained For

**Chapter Thirty: More Than You Bargained For**

 **1359 Hours, July 11, 2561. Outskirts of Vettel Keep** **, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Nine of the Enemy of My Enemy**

I stood outside my own quarters with my stuff at my feet, still reeling. I had no idea what had just happened, or how my husband's demeanor had gone from professionalism and concern a short while ago to _this_ , now.

The quick turnaround left me scratching my head. And I couldn't even ask him about it, because he'd immediately disappeared inside again after unceremoniously dumping the heap by my boots.

So I sighed and scooped it all up, put my clean changes of clothes and spare set of boots back into my duffle bag, shoved my helmet and gloves inside, and hefted it all over one shoulder. Only then did I notice something else glinting in the dirt. I bent to pick it up.

My scuffed datapad.

It was on and a message was displayed on the screen: an official UNSC communique. Although as I skimmed through it, I very quickly realized there was nothing business-like about it. At all.

A frown formed on my face as I reread from the beginning, going slower this time. Ethan had sent it, but that wasn't the worst part. He talked about his feelings again, how he loved me, then mentioned our goodbye.

And a second shared kiss between us - something that had never happened.

When I was done reading and the haze of disbelief and confusion dissipated, I realized the mention of the kiss wasn't just some odd mistake. It was a lie - a very deliberate one. But why my ex wanted to cause trouble for me now, when I thought we'd resolved any outstanding issues between us before he'd left, I couldn't quite figure out.

What I did know was that obviously, Willis had read it, and had reached a very wrong conclusion.

"Will! Listen, I know what you saw. But I wanted to tell you - "

There was a loud noise on the other side of the door, like the pounding of a fist, and I involuntarily took a step back. He was pissed right now. I knew that. And I knew him well enough to realize that even if I managed to convince him to talk, he wouldn't believe a word I had to say.

Part of that, admittedly, was my own fault. I'd planted the seed of doubt. I'd broken his trust once already. He probably wondered why I hadn't just as easily done it again.

It was frustrating, but I'd have to come back.

"Goddammit, Ethan," I muttered as I walked away. "What have you done?"

* * *

As most billets were now assigned for the regiment, I didn't have many options of places to bunk down for the night. Having spoken to Sennu already, I went to go find my brother.

I found him out in the perimeter of the courtyard, talking to one of the armor-clad Sangheili guards - or trying to. The Elite's stance was stiff, so I wasn't sure if Mark was making anymore headway in the communication department than I was. At least it didn't involve his spouse.

My older brother spotted me first out of the corner of his eye, and turned to face me. "Nat? Did you get to talk with Sennu?"

"Yeah, but that's not why I'm here. I kind of need a favor."

He folded his arms across his chest and nodded once. "Sure. Name it."

"I...can I stay with you?"

The question sounded lame even to my own ears.

Mark regarded me quietly for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "Yes. But why?"

"Willis..." I trailed off, honestly not knowing how to begin. "Look, I don't really want to get into it right now."

My brother smirked. "That's becoming a pattern with you."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's all just - " I finally released a frustrated sigh. "A lot to process. I need some time."

"All right. You're my sister. Take all the time you need." He glanced over in the direction of the Sangheili living quarters. "I'm over that way. I'll have Sennu bring an extra cot to my room so you can crash."

"Thanks."

"Go ahead and drop off your gear. I won't be back for a bit so if you need a moment to yourself, this is it."

"Got it."

I didn't need to be told twice. He pointed out his building to me and I headed over right away.

I had to say the Elites were efficient. By the time I reached Mark's quarters, there was already a spare bed in the room waiting for me, propped up against the opposite wall and perpendicular to my brother's. It was longer and wider than a standard human one - and, like all things Sangheili, higher off the ground - but it would do. It was there that I was finally able to collect myself enough to push thoughts of Willis and I aside, and realize what I had to do next.

A debrief of our ill-fated patrol was in order.

* * *

Freshly showered and changed, I stood in our makeshift command tent once again, waiting for my battalion commanders to arrive. Our spooks would be here, too, and Willis, so I wasn't sure how that would go. My brother would finally get at least some of the answers he sought - but most of all, I was feeling oddly nervous about the reception I'd get from my XO, Murphy, and Mullen. Things had gone as far from planned today as they could have, and Sennu had helped me see my part in that. And I'd have to own it.

Delaney filed in first, not surprisingly, and elected to stand on the opposite side of the holotable from me. It was a curious choice, and it only made me wonder if he blamed me for our recon at the ruins going belly-up. I didn't address him, other than a quick nod, and he didn't speak, either.

The other two majors entered next, Murphy standing off to the side with his arms folded across his chest, already looking stern, and Mullen seemed anxious to get it over with, running a hand through his short blond hair as held his helmet low in front of him, standing closest to me. The spooks arrived next, and after waiting an extra few minutes, my husband was still a no-show. I guess that told me enough about where he was at with things.

Though he hadn't been formally ordered to attend, as air commander, his presence was generally expected. No one brought it up, but his absence was noticeable. It hurt yet I did my best to move on. When I glanced up to begin the debrief, my eyes locked with Cal's for a second and he gave me a sympathetic look.

"Everyone, thank you for coming. I know we just did this, but I felt it important to address what happened on the recon today, and to let you all know what our next steps will be."

 _No more stalling,_ I thought. I took in a discreet breath.

"As CO of the regiment, my responsibilities include two things, first and foremost: the mission, and your well-being. I failed in both today. Our recon did not succeed, and I did not secure the welfare of many who fought by our side. I acted too rashly and we lost far more Marines than we should have on a simple op. For that, I'd like to apologize to all of you."

Though I kept my voice level, the words weren't easy to say aloud. I looked out at my officers, my senior command group, but tried not to focus on their expressions just yet. I had to get everything out that I needed to say.

"I don't want to offer excuses. I made a bad call, period, and it cost us. Too much. I am going to be more mindful in the future, as I should have been today. I will not push too far when the odds are stacked against us. I will not send any of you blindly into enemy lines again. I will make greater use of our attached air wing, and if needed, gain more intel that way before I send us out again." I shifted my stance a bit and crossed my arms. "My return to command hasn't been without a few...setbacks. I didn't realize until now how greatly my internment affected me, my mindset, and my choices. You deserve a commander you can count on one-hundred percent, and who acts with rational thought, not mindless vengeance. I will strive to be that for you, from now on." I took in another deep breath, steeling myself for the hardest part. "And I assure you, if I find I _cannot_ be that for you, I will resign my post."

A brief silence followed, quieter than I'd ever heard the group be in my life. But I pressed on.

"That is the promise I give to you in return for a second chance," I said. "I know it's not what the Marines we lost today will get. They're gone, and it's my fault, and I will bear that. But going forward, I want to ensure there's still confidence in my command. And if not...it's best to say so now."

The dead silence continued, and though I fleetingly wondered if I would get some resistance - most especially from Major Murphy, who seemed to regard me with his impenetrable stare - there was none. No one hardly even breathed until, much to my surprise, Delaney stepped forward.

"I still want you in charge, ma'am," he said. "We spent a lot time together at War College, and then in-mission on Requiem. I know that despite how things went out there today, you do have what it takes. And I'll still follow you."

"Me, too, ma'am," Cal said then, speaking up. "Without question."

"Mullen?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Murphy?"

There was considerable pause, and I thought I knew what was coming. He'd be the one dissenting opinion, as I wasn't going to ask my brother. But finally our eyes met, and the former Helljumper said, "Your demotion was strike one for me, Colonel. This would be strike two. I'm willing to give you a fair opportunity, so long as you don't strike out."

Not a resounding "yes", but probably as close to one as I'd get from him, and more than I could have hoped for.

I nodded my thanks. "I'll take that. And I won't be asking Commander Cooper, for obvious reasons - " I said with a small grin, and the others, barring Murphy, smiled a bit too. "But I will say thank you, to all of you, and move on." Relief washed over me, if only momentarily, and I jumped back in with what I knew about the situation so far. "Given what happened today, I've asked the Swords for their help. They will be completing a recon of their own tonight, so we should get more solid answers as to enemy numbers and the like. Although, we already know that their presence is formidable, and it includes Prometheans at the site as well. With the Elites' help, I'm hoping we can equal their forces should we decide on a full assault. But that won't be determined until after they return. So I'll have new orders for everyone then.

"And with that, if there aren't anymore questions, you're dismissed."

* * *

I let out another tired sigh once it was done. I was still disappointed in many aspects of what had occurred at the temple today - what we'd stumbled upon, and my own personal failings in the wake of that. Especially difficult was having to admit that in front of Major Murphy and the rest of my regiment's senior staff. All I could do now was learn from it and correct course. Till Sennu's Elite team got back tonight, there'd be no new information.

But even that hadn't been what truly gutted me. It was the fact that my husband hadn't even shown up.

He hadn't been expressly ordered to attend, so he hadn't technically crossed over into insubordination. But he was getting awfully close, and I couldn't afford to have a personal matter between us interfere with the mission. Although I'd been planning to give him the rest of the day to cool off, I now felt I couldn't. We had to talk.

So I walked up to my quarters again - the one _I'd_ been assigned - and waited.

"Willis, open up. Now."

Surprisingly that's all it took. I think he knew his absence earlier would get my attention.

He looked out at me wearily at first, only opening the door a crack. "What?"

"You know what, Major," I said in a hard tone. "Whatever's happening with us, you _cannot_ act differently in the field with me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he replied lazily.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay. That's something I'm not even going to entertain. You do it, or I will write you up if I have to."

"Right. So is that why you're here? To flex your muscle as CO?"

"No. I'm also here as your wife." I softened my tone a little. "Can we talk?"

Willis scoffed at me. "I don't think so."

" _Fine._ Then you'll listen. I saw the message from Ethan. I know what you're thinking. And that's not it at all."

That seemed to animate him.

"Oh, no? You didn't kiss him _again_ when you two said goodbye?" He laughed humorlessly. "I should've known something else happened. I should've known the second you walked in my office afterward, _pretending_ everything was on the up-and-up now. I'm so damn stupid sometimes."

Despite his words, I tried my best to remain calm and keep my voice steady. "You're not. And I was being honest then. Am now, too."

"Yeah? Then why would he send that? Why would he communicate with you at all, if you hadn't given him some sort of opening?"

"I gave him nothing," I said, biting out each word. I turned then to glance behind me, and although we were far off from the center of the courtyard, where most of the Marines not currently on perimeter watch or patrol were gathered, I didn't want to make a scene - even a distant one. "Can we please take this inside? If I have to, I'll remind you this is technically my place, anyway."

Willis hesitated for a moment before letting me in. He didn't sit, though, and backed off only a bit. He had his arms crossed as he stared me down, but I didn't let his own stance dictate mine. I sat down at the too-tall chair beside the too-tall alien desk in the room, then put my head in my hands.

"I don't know how to explain this to you," I said after a while, lifting my head up again. "I don't know how to explain that he lied in his message, that that's an _actual_ possibility, and that you should believe me." I ran a quick hand through my hair. "I don't know how to tell you how _furious_ at him I am for it. I don't know what he thinks he has to gain at this point, other than to hurt me. To hurt us. But you have to - "

"There's three things I see clear as day right now, Natalie," Willis said tightly, cutting me off. "Any one of which would upset me on their own, but there's _three_ things here." He lifted a finger. "One, you two are back in communication, when I expressly asked you to end that."

"We're not - "

" _Two,_ the two of you kissed. Again. And three, he loves you. _Loves_ , Natalie." He shook his head, glancing away for a moment before turning back to face me. "I can't believe you didn't tell me that."

I raised my arms in exasperation. "Why would I? I don't feel the same. I've told him that, and I've told you, many times. I can't help how he feels. He knew it wasn't reciprocated, I asked him to back off, and he did. I never led him on or gave him any reason to hope I might change my mind. So if after all that, he still felt what he did...I'm not responsible for that, and it has absolutely no bearing on _us,_ " I said, indicating Willis and I. "And the kiss? I just told you, didn't happen. Complete fabrication. Everything about our goodbye was platonic. Our communication?" I took my datapad out of my uniform pocket and held it up. "This is the only message I've received from him. I've _sent_ zero."

Willis was frowning now, clearly trying to take it all in. "I just...you didn't block him?"

"I did. On every device I could think of. The one thing I _can't_ block is official UNSC mail, which this is."

"He had to have known about that loophole."

"Yes." I finally felt like we were getting somewhere. I let out a relieved sigh. "I need you to trust me on this. That everything I've said just now is the truth."

My husband stood there silently for a long time. Not even his body language gave anything away. For all intents and purposes, he was stone. Then, finally, he looked at me and said, "I can't."

I felt like the wind got knocked out of me. Like I'd been punched in the gut. "Are you...are you sure?"

Willis shook his head. "I'm sorry, Coop. I just don't know what to believe anymore, and I can't trust your word."

I knew I had to leave then, before I said something I regretted - or worse, broke down. I just gave a lame nod of my head and walked out.

Outside I felt like my world was closing in again. The pain in my chest was sharp and my vision grew blurry. I took a few steps forward before stopping. Then I bent over and puked.

I crouched with my hands on my knees for several seconds, trying to regain focus and center myself. I didn't know how I was going to get through this a second time. I knew I had to somehow, but -

Something dripped onto the ground from my face, catching in the sunlight. I thought it was tears. But when I brought my hands up to my eyes, they were dry. Without thinking, I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.

It came back wet with blood.


	32. Chapter 31: The One You Don't See Coming

Author's Note: Ch. 30 has been edited to include the debrief. I was going to include it initially, but as I wrote I felt like perhaps it wasn't needed, and that it might clutter up an already full chapter. There was a lot happening and I didn't want it to feel too "busy" or rush through the rest of what was going on. But I agree, Cooper's admission of failure is important to see, so...it's there now. :) There's actually quite a bit that got added so I encourage everyone to go read it.

Anyway, thank you guys for your feedback and support. Really appreciate all the comments thus far, and I hope you continue to enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-One: The One You Don't See Coming**

The 8th Engineer Battalion had set up a decent field hospital in the time they'd had, Corpsman Michael Reynolds thought. He took a moment to admire the efficiency of the place, as orderlies and the regiment's other medics moved quickly from bed to bed, ensuring all their patients were secure and stable. Most had come in after the recon Lieutenant Colonel Cooper had ordered - he surmised from the number that it hadn't gone so well. He'd done his best to save those he could, and now he sat off to the side on a metal crate, taking a few minutes to breathe after the rush.

He ran a hand over his jet-black hair and sighed. There weren't separate rooms for each of the injured, but rather thin partitions placed within one large tent. It was impossible to escape the low groans and occasional fits of coughing. He finally decided that to get a real break, he needed to go outside.

Except he didn't exactly find the change of scenery there that he'd been looking for.

A Marine was stumbling through the grounds, holding a hand up to her face. He recognized her in an instant.

"Colonel Cooper!"

Reynolds moved to meet her just in time; as soon as she glanced up she collapsed. He caught her as she fell forward, almost forcing him to the ground, too.

"Oh, shit," he thought, straining to get a hold of her limp form to drag her into the tent. "Oh, shit, oh shit."

It took him a second to realize he was saying the words aloud.

"Mike!" he heard behind him. Reynolds didn't turn his head, however, focused on getting his CO to a bed.

"Holy shit," another medic said. "Is that - "

"Yeah!" Reynolds shouted. "Clear a cot, let's go!"

 _Goddamn,_ he thought - in his head this time. _I was just thinking how it'd been a while since I'd seen her here...and then you gotta do this._

He got her onto a sterile table just as Holden - another medic - reached the lieutenant colonel's side.

"What do you want me to do, Mike?"

"Get an IV bag in case," Reynolds commanded as he put on a fresh set of gloves. Then he pulled out a stethoscope and his datapad from his uniform's jacket pocket. "When you're done, contact Commander Cooper and Major Hawk. Let them know she's here."

"On it."

 _Maybe they can tell us what happened,_ he thought. As it was, he didn't have much to go off of. He could see she'd been bleeding from the nose. She also had spots of vomit on her boots. Recent. The symptoms were odd enough that he wondered if they weren't two separate medical issues at first.

"Holden?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's get the IV sooner than later. I think dehydration could be a factor here."

That might explain the vomiting, but he as he did his assessment, he didn't notice any other symptoms. Her skin felt fine to the touch, not too hot or dry. He body temp was steady. Pulse ox normal; that meant she was breathing okay. Blood pressure normal. And yet...

"God. Is that my sister?"

Reynolds turned around for the briefest moment. Commander Cooper had already arrived.

"Yes, sir," the seasoned medic answered, replacing his stethoscope around his neck to bring out a pen light. He then pulled open one of the colonel's eyelids and shined the light inside. She was still unconscious.

"What happened?" Reynolds could hear the fear in his voice.

"I was hoping you'd tell me, sir," the medic replied, checking the other eye now. "Were you with her last?"

"No. I - I just saw her at the debrief though."

Reynolds glanced back. "Did she seem off at all?"

The older Cooper shook his head. "No. But she did look...upset earlier."

"Any idea why?"

"She's just...been through a lot lately." The commander swallowed. "Could this be stress-related?"

"The vomiting? Yes. Nosebleed? Not so much. Together, definitely not."

Reynolds sensed more questions were coming, but Commander Cooper didn't get a chance to voice them. Just as Holden returned with the IV bag and was setting it up, Major Hawk came in.

"What's going on?"

The medic finally turned away from his patient as Holden worked to get a line in. "We're not sure yet, sir. Your wife collapsed outside. I think she was trying to make her way here. Were you with her just now?"

"No. I mean...she was with me maybe ten minutes ago. We were talking in my - in our quarters." The major licked his lips, then blew out a breath. "Well, arguing, actually."

Commander Cooper suddenly stepped forward, turning on Hawk. "She's bleeding. Did you hit her?"

"What? No! We just - "

Reynolds held up both hands. "Stop it. I can't have you two shouting in my medtent. Is that clear?"

Both officers quickly shut their mouths and exchanged a look.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"Good," the medic replied. "Then let me do my work. I wanted to let you know she's here since you're immediate family and it happened so fast. I was hoping you might have some insight as to why, but it sounds like this came on suddenly, which is also helpful to know. We'll look into it, get her stable, and then let you back inside. Okay?"

The two men looked at each other again and nodded, shuffling out.

"Okay," Reynolds repeated then, turning back to his CO. "Holden, how are we doing?"

"IV's hooked up and dripping."

"All right. Let's get a blood sample. We'll go from there."

* * *

Outside, Willis pushed a hand into his hair as he stared at the dirt. It almost felt like cosmic ill-luck that this had happened now. Of course Cooper would fall unconscious after he basically asked her to leave. He worried for her, and hoped she was okay, but this didn't change anything about their conversation in his mind. He was still deeply unsure about trusting her. She'd made a good argument, but his gut told him no.

Her brother soon appeared beside him.

"Hey, man. You were with her last. No red flags?"

Willis looked up and stiffened, folding his arms across his chest as he ignored Mark's question. "I don't like your accusation, Mark. I'm not that kind of guy, and you know that. Whatever...problems Natalie and I are going through right now, that's never something that even crosses my mind. Ever."

Mark sighed, too. "I know. I'm sorry. You've always been good to her. It's just the circumstances, you know. You two together, fighting, and the blood - it just came out."

Hawk snorted. "Yeah, well, next time, keep it in. I appreciate what you've done for us in the past, but something like that could end my career, and I don't take it lightly."

"You're right." Mark paused. "It's just...she's my little sister. Right or wrong, I'll always protect her."

Willis shifted his stance a bit, choosing to let it go. "I take it you heard about Ethan."

"She told me, yeah. I don't...want to get in the middle of that. That's between the two of you, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it or excuse her behavior. She messed up; she knows she did. And I honestly believe she's trying to make it right. But whatever you need to feel about it, feel. Sometimes it's something you can get past. Sometimes it's not. I get it. Cheating is...tough." He finally turned to face his brother-in-law. "But just do me one favor, okay? Be there for her now, through this. It'd mean a lot."

Hawk nodded.

They stood in silence for a while, not knowing what else to say. Willis wasn't even sure what he could do at this point.

"So, my question earlier...no red flags?"

"None. She seemed...just as spirited as always."

Mark chuckled. "Spirited. That's a good one. Very apt."

Another moment of silence, then, "You're sure she's not pregnant?"

"Yes. We're always safe."

Mark furrowed his brow. "Sorry to ask, I just...can't imagine what the hell..."

Willis turned to look at him again as Mark trailed off a second time. It sounded like Natalie's brother had stumbled on another possibility.

"Oh, crap," he said, and dove back into the medtent before Willis could ask what it was.

Hawk reentered just as Mark reached Reynolds again.

"I forgot to mention Laraza's back," Mark said to him. "Make sure she hasn't been poisoned."


	33. Chapter 32: Always You

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Always You**

Waking up on a hard table wasn't the greatest thing in the world.

The wave of nausea that hit me first, before I even opened my eyes, was worse.

I quickly rolled out of instinct, leaned over the side, and retched. I felt a hand on my back as I did so.

"Easy, Coop. Take a breath."

I wanted to tell the voice to fuck off. I'd just emptied my guts on the floor. But then I blinked twice and saw a strategically placed bucket on the ground. Somehow I hadn't missed. Probably thanks to the voice's guidance, I guessed.

"What's - "

"You passed out by the field hospital earlier," the voice said, and this time I picked up on the odd, emotionless tone. "Your blood test came back clean, by the way. You weren't poisoned, and we're not having a kid."

I was still very confused. "Poisoned? Kid?"

My vision finally came into focus and the fuzziness in my brain started to lift. Surprisingly, I found Willis sitting next to me, on what looked like a crate. His hands were interlocked in front of him, elbows resting on his knees as he sat leaning forward beside my table, close yet not facing me. I supposed that meant he was still upset.

But he'd stayed.

"Your brother thought it might've been Laraza's doing," he clarified. "That he'd managed to poison you somehow or make you sick. Reynolds checked though, and that wasn't the case. You're not pregnant, either."

I snorted lightly. "Good. Means the shot's working." I shifted my body on the table. "It's getting tiresome having that come up every time. I think once we get home it might be time to...end my reproductive days more permanently."

"That's your choice," Willis replied stiffly.

" _Ours,_ " I corrected, with more than a little bite.

My husband let out a sigh and said nothing. Thankfully, Doc Reynolds chose just that moment to appear.

"Colonel Cooper," he said in surprise. "You're awake."

"Yep." I winced as I moved again. "How long have I been out?"

"About four hours, ma'am. You were dehydrated so we got you on an IV, but it looks like the vomiting is persisting." He glanced over at Willis. "Anymore nosebleed?"

My husband shook his head. "Not yet."

"All right, keep me posted." I heard his datapad buzz then. He pulled it out of his pants pocket and swore. "I'll be right back. Another patient needs me."

That left us alone again, although I wasn't sure that was the best thing for us right now. I tried to change positions a third time but the thin tube going into my arm made it tough, and there was no real way to make a hard surface comfortable. I frowned and was about to complain to Willis when he produced a cold, wet cloth from a water-filled tray at my feet and wiped my face down.

"What are you doing?" I said.

"You still had some blood on your face," he responded. I noticed his tone had changed. There was a bit more warmth now. "Things were...a bit of whirlwind when you came in. Doc cleaned you up as best he could, but it was secondary to trying to figure out what was going on."

"What _is_ wrong with me?" I asked. "You haven't told me yet."

Willis hesitated, placing the now-dirty rag beside the tray and wiping his hands on his pants. "I thought it might be best if Reynolds explained."

"Try."

He scratched his head. "Basically your body isn't used to the atmosphere here. So it's revolting, in whatever way it knows how. Doc said it's not uncommon for symptoms to start slowly, or even not appear for a day or two. But after that - "

I glanced down at myself. " _This_ happens."

"Yeah."

Given the news, I couldn't help but chuckle.

Willis gave me a strange look. "What?"

"After all these years fighting Elites, I find out I'm literally _allergic_ to their damn homeworld."

It sounded absurd, even before I'd said it out loud. I couldn't contain myself. I just started laughing.

Willis grinned a little at first - and soon, he was laughing, too.

It was a rare moment of pure fun and ease between us, after so much conflict and pain. It didn't last, but I was glad to see it was still possible to have that connection with him.

Reynolds reappeared once the laughter had dissipated, and the somber mood returned.

"Sorry about that, ma'am, sir." He looked at me. "Were you informed of what's going on?"

"I got the gist," I replied.

Reynolds nodded. "All right. I'd like to talk about your course of treatment then, Colonel."

"I'm listening."

"We gave you a pill once we realized what was happening to counteract your symptoms," he responded. "You're supposed to take it twice a day to keep them from returning."

"So why is she still throwing up?" Willis asked.

"The med needs about a day to build up in your system, so two doses. You've only taken one so far so the symptoms aren't completely gone yet. But you shouldn't see the nosebleeds return, at least."

I could see Willis wanted to ask another question, but Reynolds went on.

"Unfortunately, you'll have to continue taking the pills until your body gets acclimated to Sanghelios, anywhere between ten and fourteen days. However - " The corpsman frowned. "If you're still vomiting, those won't do you much good. We'll have to give you your doses in an IV or a shot. It won't interact with anything else you're taking; it'll just be more of a hassle and I'd have to administer it here, rather than a pill you could take on your own in the field if you needed to."

"So I need to give my body some time to stop rebelling," I said.

"That about sums it up, yes," Reynolds replied.

"Easier said than done, I think," my husband chimed in as I sat up fast. My stomach was already roiling again, and I leaned over to wait.

"Still feeling it?" Reynolds asked me.

My answer was to hurl into the bucket a second time. Willis's hand was at my back again until I'd finished.

In the meantime, the corpsman signaled an orderly. She brought over a water bottle that Reynolds then handed to me to sip on while the orderly switched out the bucket for a new one.

"Just a few more hours to go, guys," Reynolds said, giving me a sympathetic look. "Don't worry. The nausea should ease up once that second dose is in your system."

I took a gulp of water, spitting it out to rinse my mouth, and laid back down, closing my eyes for a minute. "It's not as bad as morning sickness. I can handle this."

When I opened my eyes again, the corpsman was turning to go.

"Hey, Doc?"

"Yeah?"

"When can I get back to the regiment?"

He smiled faintly. "Let's see how that second dose goes first, Colonel. But likely by tonight."

"Thanks, Doc," Willis said to him.

Reynolds nodded and bowed out.

I could feel the change as soon as the corpsman had left. Willis seemed cut off and distant again, not facing me.

"Where's Mark?" I asked, trying to open some line of communication. I also just wanted to know.

"He went to talk to Sennu about the op tonight," he answered. "He filled me in on what happened at the debrief. He was here for a while though while you were out. We traded shifts after your test came back and Doc told us you'd be fine with some meds."

It was quiet for a moment. I reached down tentatively with my hand and said, "I'm glad you're here."

My husband glanced at me but didn't take it. "I meant what I said before, Natalie. I can't. Not now." He ran a hand over his short hair and sighed. "I'm glad you're okay. I'll stay as long as you need and help you through this. You're my children's mother. I owe you that."

Somehow, his words stung.

"Funny," I replied. I could feel a lump forming in my throat, but I swallowed it down. "I thought you were here for me."

* * *

It took a few more hours and another dose, but Reynolds had been right – I finally stopped feeling so queasy and the puking ceased. I hadn't started bleeding again, either. So once I was cleared, it was back to work.

My first order of business was to check in with my XO. Major Delaney reported things had been quiet around the keep during my absence, minus a team of Elites prepping for an outing, and that he was glad I'd returned. I chuckled and said I felt the same.

The only thing to do then was wait. I had some coffee and an energy bar as I looked over logs in the command tent, still not quite up to regular food yet but in need of a boost. Almost an hour later, Mark walked in.

"Colonel, the Sangheili team's returned," he announced.

I nodded and stepped out.

"How are you feeling, Nat?" my brother asked when we were alone. "Really?"

I put my hands on my hips and sighed. "Okay now. Not that any of that was pleasant."

"Yeah, I bet not." He took in a deep breath. "And Willis?"

"He was fine. Stayed with me the whole time you were with Sennu. The rest…didn't go so well." I shook my head sadly. "I don't - "

"Want to talk about it, right?" My big brother gave me a good-natured shoulder bump. "I get it. Gotta stay focused. Let's see what the Elites have to say."

"Let's bring in Cal, too."

"Already done."

We moved to the Sangheili side of the grounds, where we were met up with Lloyd and then got approached by two Elite guards.

"The _kaidon's_ wife has requested to see you in the common room," the larger one said. His armor gleamed a shiny black as he towered over us. "It has been emptied of all but essential personnel so that you may meet in privacy."

I stepped forward and nodded. "We're ready."

At this I grew a little nervous. I was still feeling weak from my ordeal, and we were heading deeper into our former enemy's territory than we had thus far. And while I wore my body armor, I didn't have my helmet, rifle, or gloves with me. I did have my pistol, but I wondered how effective that would be if anything bad went down. Probably not much.

I exchanged a quick glance with Mark and Cal, and they nodded back. Our relations with the locals had been cordial so far, even pleasant at times, but I hadn't survived this long by being easily lulled into a sense of security. Things changed on a dime way too often; I'd known that even before being taken prisoner. We'd have to remain vigilant.

I felt a little relieved when Sennu met us at the entrance.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Colonel," she said to me, then flicked her gaze over to Mark and Lloyd. "Commander. Lieutenant Commander."

They nodded back, and Sennu gestured us inside.

Like others, the spacious building was made of stone and circular, with tall ceilings and what I could only guess was their version of decorations on the wall. There were two abstract paintings and a large, sword-like weapon at the focal point of the room, which appeared to be a crescent-shaped table on the opposite side. The table was molded from the floor like we'd seen around before, which I found an interesting touch.

"Welcome to our common room," Sennu said, gesturing slightly. "We often hold our most…sensitive meetings here. It is more understated than the assembly chamber, where decisions for the keep are made. Here, we may take our time to discuss and assess."

I heard a noise behind us then and turned back. Our two Elite escorts had left. In their place, a whole troop of six armed and armored Sangheili appeared, dispersing to the edges of the room to stand silently by the walls.

Although I made no sudden movements given the present company, it got my hackles up.

"Do not be alarmed. They are here for my protection, as is custom," Sennu assured us.

That didn't make me feel a whole lot better. We were three under-equipped humans in a room full of tall, powerful Sangheili. I'd never felt so small in my life.

I tried my best not to let it show, however. "Shall we start?"

Sennu clicked her mandibles. "Let's. Torran?"

One of the guards closest to us stepped forward, his dark crimson armor looking intimidatingly worn. The sheen was all but gone and there were deep gouges along the chest. Clearly, he'd seen more than a fight or two in his time.

So had I.

"Colonel Cooper, this is Torran 'Vettel. He led our reconnaissance team tonight."

"The territory is as you said, Colonel," he said in a gruff voice, regarding me curiously as he got right down to business. "There is a significant presence of human rebels as well as what you call _Prometheans_."

"All right," I said, shifting my stance carefully so as not to attract unwanted attention from the guards. Then I turned to face Sennu. "So our deal stands? You'll help us push them out and eliminate the portal?"

Sennu nodded. "Yes. Torran and I will send our warriors in defense of the keep, as promised."

"Excellent. When can you be prepared? The sooner the better for us."

"First, I would like to know if you are well. Commander Cooper told me you were very ill today."

"I was, but I'm doing better now," I assured her. Then I smirked a little. "Apparently Sanghelios doesn't agree with me, but we have medicine to counteract that, thankfully."

"Ah. I wish you a speedy recovery, then."

"Thanks."

Sennu exchanged a glance with Torran. "In that case, I believe we agree with your sentiments. This should be resolved now. If you are able to lead, we can be ready in two days' time."

I nodded. "I am. We'll get it done."

This seemed to conclude our meeting and we were escorted out again, this time led by the guards who'd entered last. I still found it unnerving to be surrounded by so many Elites, but nothing happened, and we were back outside in no time, on our own once more.

Mark, Cal and I formed a small cluster, my brother and I unconsciously folding our arms across our chests at the same time.

"Whew. I feel like I can finally breathe now," Cal said.

I chuckled, and some of the tension lifted. "That...was an interesting experience."

Mark brought us back to the task at hand. "It's good they agreed with your assessment, Nat. Having their help in the fight will be huge." He gave me a pointed look. "Hopefully, things don't go belly-up again."

I sobered then, too. "Yeah. This time, I'll get it right."

There was no other choice than that.


	34. Chapter 33: Self Care

Author's Note: Chapter title comes from the song "Self Care" by Mac Miller.

This is a sort-of Part One, to be followed by Part Two shortly. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Three: Self Care**

 **0600 Hours, July 17, 2561. Outskirts of Vettel Keep, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Fifteen of the Enemy of My Enemy**

"Natalie, get up."

I groaned at the far-away voice and rolled over, sliding easily back into sleep.

"Oh, no, you don't," I heard the voice say in the distance. "Up, _now_."

All of a sudden I found myself clinging to my cot as I was unceremoniously dumped on the floor. The impact woke me up in an instant, and had me rubbing my backside while I frowned.

Laughter filled the room.

"You are the _worst_ brother known to humankind," I grumbled. "Ow."

"No, I'm not. You're just the world's worst senior officer when it comes to getting up on time." My brother bent down to offer me a hand. "Come on, I'll pull you up. Truce?"

I knew better now than to take him at his word. "Truce."

As soon as I stood I felt it again - coming to full consciousness put it at the forefront of my mind. Willis and I were broken up, for a second time. I felt the pain and heaviness of that fact right in my chest.

Mark noticed and his expression changed, to one of regret this time. He reached out and put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "Hey. I'm sorry about you and Will, okay?" Then he sighed and stepped back. "But...I've got to be honest, little sis. You're the one who cheated, so he has every right to feel...however he does about this. You just have to step back and give him time, and realize that maybe...maybe this is it for you two. Maybe this is something he can't overcome. And you're going to have to accept that."

I nodded as I felt tears form behind my eyes. I quickly brushed my T-shirt sleeve over them and swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yeah," I said in a scratchy voice. "I know, Mark. I know that. I just - " Finally I blew out a long breath. "It just hurts so damn much."

"And it's going to, Nat. No way around it. All you can do is try to move on, and focus on other things for now." He snorted lightly. "God knows there's plenty to do out here."

He was right. There was. But for this small moment, at least, I allowed myself to feel the full extent of my despair - in front of my brother - and threw my hands up, shaking my head. "How could I do that, Mark? How could I have done that to him? I kissed _someone else_. I got close to _someone else_. I don't...even recognize that part of myself. I never would have crossed that line in the past." Putting my head in my hands, I added quietly, "I hate that I did."

Mark reached out with his hand again. "I know that, Natalie. And I think Willis does, too." He gave me a sideways look. "You know, you tend to discount what you went through. A lot. And it wasn't nothing. Being held captive like you were, watching your friends die, getting _tortured_...you had no choice but to come out different than before." He took a deep breath. "So, accept the decisions you've made since then, realize they're your own, but don't discount the experience you went through and the role it played. No one comes out of something like that the same. Often, they don't come out _alive_."

"I'm lucky for that, at least," I replied softly. "Others, not so much. I know that."

I sat there a moment in silence then, thinking. My older brother's words didn't exactly put me at ease, but they did give me some perspective.

"Anyway. Ready to get this day started?" Mark finally asked.

Slowly, I nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

I scarfed down an energy bar before leaving the room I shared with my brother. It was a little strange, living amongst the Elites rather than with my Marines – and my husband – but I'd more or less gotten used to it in the last week. I hadn't exactly had too much time to think, which was a blessing, but there were times I couldn't ignore it, either. Running smack into a tall Sangheili before I even had my first cup of coffee this morning was...odd, to say the least. I was dressed in only a T-shirt, shorts, and running shoes with a towel over my shoulder, on the way to the makeshift showers the engineers had set up for us. I felt more vulnerable than usual, standing out of armor and without a weapon, up against my former enemy. But we continued on our way without incident. That was life on Sanghelios now.

I could see the quarters Willis and I had occupied a handful of days ago from here. I usually never looked over there when I passed by. I wanted to, but I was too afraid to see him, too worried our eyes might meet. That, I wasn't sure I could handle right now. So I looked away again before he could appear in view.

Mark was right. I needed to focus. I needed to think about the op the Elites and I were going to spearhead tonight. We were finally going to take the fight to the rebs - and Laraza and the Prometheans. _That's_ what I should've been concentrating on.

But for some reason today was different. I couldn't shake the feeling, even after I'd toweled off and dressed in my battledress uniform, that something wasn't right.

I frowned as I stood alone in the room. What was it?

It wasn't anything to do with my health. I'd recuperated well over the last week from my bought of sickness, brought on by the new atmosphere, and I'd been taking my meds as directed so far. So I'd been feeling fine, if a little tired and dizzy by the end of the day. Things had been quiet on the lines, and Mark and Cal hadn't reported any new movement with any of our enemies so far. So why was I –

And then it hit me.

It was the message. Something had been bothering me about the subversive letter Ethan had sent. I pulled my datapad out of a tactical pocket in my uniform pants and pulled it up.

I'd been wondering from the start why Ethan would send this now. I believed that he could still have feelings for me – but I was not at all sure what he'd hoped to gain by lying about a second kiss between us, now. To bring about the complete downfall of my marriage? _Why?_ And if he'd accomplished exactly what he'd set out to do – split up Willis and I - how could he possibly have known my husband would read it?

None of it made sense. And I finally realized that that was my real problem with it.

In a sudden burst of energy, I quickly grabbed my helmet and gloves and slung my rifle behind my back, then headed for the officers' barracks.

I hoped to catch my best friend in his quarters, before he met with my brother this morning. Mark knew some of what was going on with Willis and I, and Ethan, but Cal had actually been there for it and defended me at the trial. And for now, I didn't want this getting out to more people than it needed to. I _especially_ did not want it getting out to Willis. I couldn't bring this to him until I knew for sure, or it'd look like just a ploy on my part to get him back.

I knocked a couple times on the large, thick wooden door until Cal answered. He was dressed in a T-shirt, boots and his uniform pants. His short, dark hair was also a bit of a mess. Clearly he'd just been gearing up for the day.

"Colonel?" he said to me, a bit perplexed. "What's going on? Are you feeling okay?"

I nodded quickly. "I'm fine, Cal. Can I ask you for a favor?"

To his credit, my buddy didn't hesitate. "Anything, ma'am. You know that."

I handed him my datapad with the message still on the screen. "I need you to do some digging for me. Can you trace the source of this text?"

He read it over for a minute and frowned, glancing up to meet my gaze. "It's from Lieutenant Ackerson."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Is it? That's what I'd like you to find out for me."

"Do you have reason to think it's not?" he asked. "You're not still…you know, talking to him, are you? I thought you and Hawk – "

"No. I'm not." I put my hands on my hips and sighed. "But I'd like to think that after working together twice in the past few years – and after dating each other when we were kids – I know him pretty well. And my gut's telling me something about this is off."

There was a moment's pause, then Lloyd said, "Okay. I'll look into it."

"Thanks, Cal," I replied, and I felt some of the tension in my body lift. "You don't know what this means to me."

Caleb glanced down at his wedding ring for a second, then back up at me. "I think I do, ma'am. I'll let you know as soon as I find anything."

* * *

After speaking to Cal about my predicament and checking in with my XO, my next stop this morning was with Sennu again. We'd initially been set to begin the assault a few days earlier, but her military commander had asked for more time to prepare. It'd given my Marines and I a breather as well after the disastrous patrol. Besides what was currently going on in my personal life, the short reprieve had done me well, too. I'd gotten a chance to physically recover from my illness, and I felt that I was in a better headspace now, considering.

"Well?" I said as I approached, strapping on my gloves with my helmet under one arm and rifle behind my back. "Are your troops ready to depart, ma'am?"

"Yes," Sennu replied simply. "But first, before you leave the keep, I'd like to show you one last thing."

I followed her across the courtyard, wondering where we were going right before the big op. I thought it was to meet up with Torran for a last minute check-in, or maybe to get set up with some new weaponry. It wasn't any of those things.

She brought me into the chamber where we'd held our meeting the other night.

"Do you see the images on the walls?" she asked. "On either side of the old sword?"

"Yes," I answered. They were the abstract paintings I'd noticed earlier. Around those were also other markings etched into the stone. "I was wondering about them, but wasn't sure if I should ask."

"This," she began, "is our saga wall for the keep. It tells the history of our people."

I nodded before giving her a look. "I have to be honest, ma'am – I thought we were prepping for the op."

She held my gaze. "We are, Colonel."

Sennu didn't give me time to say anything else. Instead, she pointed to the first painting, and ran her four-fingered hand down the markings around it. "This painting tells the story of Makku, a great swordsman from our clan. He was fierce in battle, an unrelenting force unleashed upon our enemies, and a renowned leader in our land." Her voice lowered then. "But he was broken. The victories he'd earned had cost him much.

"When he returned to the keep, nothing could keep him still or content. He was restless, as many warriors are without battle. He wanted to return to the field, to spill blood again, at any cost. He no longer strategized. He no longer led his troops with a clear mind. The fighting, the war, had consumed him. His need for vengeance against his enemies consumed him. He remained a great warrior, but stopped being a great leader."

Sennu, who'd been focusing on the walls as she spoke, turned to face me now, again meeting my gaze. "Do you understand this, human? We celebrate Makku's accomplishments, but in the end, he became a fraction of what he was because he could not see beyond the battles he fought."

"He didn't live up to his true potential," I said quietly, and Sennu nodded.

"That is correct, Colonel."

I focused again on the wall, seeing it with new eyes. It was Makku's story, but I understood what Sennu was trying to tell me – it was also _mine_. I wasn't sure I'd quite reached the point of no return yet, as Makku had, but I guessed that I was likely close. The way I'd led my Marines on patrol a week ago was proof of that.

I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. In our big op today, I needed to be sure I stepped back – mentally, if nothing else. I needed to ignore the raging fire within me, put there from my time in captivity, and keep a level head. I needed to put aside my sorrow and hurt for the way things were between me and Willis, and do my job.

I needed to continue to be the warrior in my heart, but also rise up to become the leader again.


	35. Chapter 34: What Remains

Author's Note: Part Two y'all.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Four: What Remains**

"What if this doesn't work, ma'am?" Major Delaney asked as he stood beside me on an outcrop of rock just south of the forest – part of the patchwork of trees where we'd encountered the rebels last time, and later the Prometheans. I knew that there were more out there this time.

I was ready.

"It will," I answered firmly.

My XO must've heard the confidence in my voice, because he didn't push for an explanation. Instead he turned his attention back to his datapad, watching the progress of our lone battalion in the field, waiting for the proverbial fireworks to go off.

My new approach had changed a plan a week in the making. It'd been usual, the norm, not unique – this alteration, done at the last minute, would fix that.

It was a gamble for sure. The least of which wasn't because of the two men I'd chosen to spearhead it.

"Murphy?" I said into the command channel, standing steady in a circle of Marines that made up my security detail. "Got a sitrep for me? What's happening down there?"

"Quiet, ma'am," the ex-ODST, and commander of my former battalion, replied. "The 8th is moving forward. No sign of movement so far."

His even tone sounded forced, and from that I knew he was turning over in his mind if he should trust my judgment or not. He thought I was leading him and his men to their deaths. Maybe I was. But if everything worked out as it should, it wouldn't necessarily come that. That's what I was banking on.

"Acknowledged. Send out a ping as soon as they appear," I said.

"Understood."

I switched channels then to a private one with the Elite leader. "Torran? Is your team in position?"

"Yes, human," he answered curtly. The channel went dead.

I smirked a little to myself. Torran and I would be strong allies after this was over, I could tell.

"Any updates?" Delaney asked when he saw me shift position after the calls had ended.

I shook my head. "Nothing yet, but we've got nothing but time right now. They'll show."

Finally I allowed myself to stare ahead. I couldn't see much past the line of trees in the distance, but our electronics helped with that. So did our last patrol. I was determined not to make the same mistakes again, so I'd tried a different tack this time. Before folding my arms across my chest, I pulled back my sleeve and checked my watch. We'd been here forty minutes already.

 _Nothing but time,_ I reminded myself.

I looked to my left and saw Gunnery Sergeant Gage York had left his faceplate up, same as me. Our eyes met briefly before a massive explosion rocked the trees ahead, and then the Eighth Engineers' lines erupted in gunfire.

"We've got contact!" Murphy cried into our shared channel, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. This was it. What we'd all been waiting for.

"Colonel?" Murphy yelled again. "Do we push forward?"

"No," I answered calmly, unmoving. "You're to stay put, just like we discussed. Let the enemy come to you."

His tone was more forceful this time. "Colonel, I don't – "

"Flush them out, Major. Give 'em just enough resistance to make them fight back."

 _Make them think they have the advantage._

"We can try, ma'am, but they're – "

The open channel was consumed with sound then, and I could see and hear the battle further up getting more intense. My initial impulse was to pull my rifle off my back and join the fray, somehow, but I held myself in place. Now wasn't the time to be rash. I had to see this through, for better or for worse. For all our sakes.

I waited until the air had grown thick, even out here where my command group was gathered – our makeshift CP. I knew Marines had died during the initial contact. I regretted that, but it was a necessary part of what was to come. What might just save the rest of us.

I took a deep breath.

"Jack, pull back," I said into the COM channel.

His first reaction was disbelief, as I'd expected. "What?"

"The words you're looking for are 'yes, ma'am,' Major," I responded with a slight edge. "Make it happen."

I heard him start to protest. I cut the connection and didn't let him. He'd learn to trust me with this move I'd planned, or he'd go against orders, take matters into his own hands, and earn himself a court-martial for insubordination. If it were the latter, I was done with him anyway. If it were the former, this was the best way to ensure he'd reach that conclusion himself.

This wasn't the only precarious part of my plan. The next involved another person I didn't have the greatest relationship with at the moment, but when I called on him, he was professional and cordial, as always.

"Are your squadrons ready, Major?" I asked Willis over a private channel.

"Standing by, ma'am," he answered just as coolly.

"Let's get your flyboys in the air."

"Acknowledged."

I could feel the reverberations from the fight beneath my boots now. I motioned to Delaney and took his datapad to see what was going on dirtside. He'd been viewing helmet cam feed from a sergeant in Golf Company. Gunfire – from bullets as well as light rounds – filled the Marine's view. I watched him fire back, slip and fall in the tall grass, and then get back up in time to see a Knight warp out of existence from the machine gun fire to his left. I heard him breathing heavy inside his helmet before I disengaged from the feed.

"Murphy?"

"Yes, ma'am!" came the gruff, almost exasperated, response.

"Retreat now, Major. Get those Marines back."

"Colonel, I – "

I severed the connection again and switched channels.

"Major Hawk, bring in that payload now."

"Yes, ma'am. Coming in hot in one mike."

That's what I'd meant about time. Besides getting two people who currently hated me to listen to and trust me, I also needed their movements and attacks to coincide perfectly. It was why Delaney was up here with me, too. This phase of the plan required double-checking everyone's maneuvers to make sure it went off without a hitch.

Triple would've been even better.

I turned to my former classmate from War College. "Justin, can you get a clear read on your datapad? Are Murphy and the rest in the green zone yet?"

"Almost, ma'am. Just a little – "

"ETA?"

"Fifty-three seconds, Colonel."

I'd just spoken to Willis ten seconds ago. There'd be an overlap of three seconds. Three seconds, in this instance, meant lives potentially lost.

I took in another full breath and didn't let it go this time. If we managed to pull this off, it'd be by the skin of our teeth.

It'd all been a kind of game of chess. If I'd ordered Murphy to pull back too soon, the insurgents and robot-AIs may not have followed – or followed too early. If I'd ordered Murphy to pull back too late…more Marines would be lost. _My_ Marines.

I brought down my faceplate and closed my eyes briefly as the seconds ticked by. Soon, this would be over, one way or another.

 _It has to work._

I glanced up and saw Willis and his squadrons coming in before I heard them pass overhead, and then their ordnance began to drop. All along our enemies' lines, now that they were out in the open field en masse, out of the relatively safe cover of the trees our Marines had retreated to.

It was slaughter on an enormous scale. It had to be.

I kept my eyes on the carnage in the distance even though all I could see were large dust plumes floating into the air between the trees. When the earth stopped shaking beneath us, I pulled out my datapad and checked. Everything beyond the green line, into the red zone, was greyed out. Meanwhile, the green zone was still flashing – pending.

"Hawk?" I said into the command channel.

"It's done, Cooper," my husband answered brusquely, and cut the connection. I frowned.

"Murphy?" I asked next.

Silence.

Delaney looked over at me, a worried look on his face. I stared back from behind my polarized faceplate and ignored it. Ignored the sudden twist in my gut, too.

"Jack, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. Please respond with your status, over."

There was another lengthy pause, and my heart began to hammer inside my chest. Then –

"Murphy checking in, ma'am. Just did a quick roll-call with my company commanders. The Eighth is safe."

I almost released a relieved sigh. But before I did, I lifted my visor and checked with my XO. "Justin?"

Slowly, the apprehension in my second-in-command's face morphed into a grin.

"Eighty-percent losses projected for the enemy force, Colonel. This is – " He actually chuckled and then shook his head, still unbelieving. "This is fucking _over_."

Although I allowed the relief to wash over me now, too, I kept my expression neutral. This was far from over just yet, and I knew that.

"Except for one thing," I said to Delaney. "They've still got control of the portal, which means they can replenish their troops at any time. We can't. So that's our next step – we need to take it out." I finally smiled, just a little. "Luckily, that's a lot easier done when the path is clear." After pulling the battle rifle off my back, my smile changed to a small smirk. "Let's get the rest of the 52nd Regiment in gear, Major. We need to rendezvous with Torran's team now. We've got one more important hurdle to get past before we're truly done."

* * *

Waiting in the wings for my plan to go into motion had been tough; I'd had to show an unconcerned demeanor on the outside, but on the inside, I knew it'd be a disaster for our forces if it wasn't done right. Using Major Murphy's battalion as bait to lure out the rebel and Promethean force could have backfired - but it hadn't. Willis and his pilots had then been able to rain down hell upon them without cover, and now it was finally time to bring in my other two battalions - and Torran's group - to overwhelm the survivors and finish the job.

It felt good to be down in the trenches again. The hike over hadn't taken too long, surrounded by my security detail and spurred by our resounding success in the first phase of the attack. Now, after we hooked up with Torran and the Elites, it was onto Phase Two.

"Wayne, come up on the left flank with your batt," I said into the COM channel as we marched through the forest, silent and quick. Just ahead was the battlefield Willis and his air wing had decimated – I could smell it from here. "Marsh?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Bring the 213th in on the right. Murphy, you know what to do."

"Acknowledged, Colonel," the ex-Helljumper said. "Pushing forward again now."

Captain Theresa Marsh was Delaney's XO, taking over for him while my old classmate made his way back to his battalion. My other commanders also had their orders; that left Torran and his team of Sangheili.

I paused for just a second to take in our surroundings. "Torran, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. We're almost – "

 _At the edge of the treeline,_ I'd been about to say. But I didn't get the chance.

"Colonel, get down!" Gunny York suddenly yelled at me, and before I knew what was happening, I found myself getting tackled to the ground as a barrage of gunfire tore through the air around us. The hail of bullets clipped branches, bark, and leaves as my detail dropped into the dirt as one, barely missing the eight of us.

"Report!" I said from my uncomfortable position before York tapped me on the shoulder to let me know to get up. I brought my rifle to bear at the same time, aiming down the sights, watching my electronics as well for movement. "What's – "

I saw the first reb shift through the trees ahead and squeezed the trigger instantly, out of pure instinct. Blood erupted from his chest as he fell. A figure moved right beside him, almost leaping for his body, and I fired another burst. She went down, too.

I knew it was a she because of her scream.

I blinked and almost missed the rest of the skirmish. More insurgents poured into the woods from the killing field, but these looked like stragglers – what was left of the enemy force after our air assault. Their fatigues were torn and blackened, and their movements slower. I raised my weapon, ready to fire again, but then stopped. I made a quick motion with my fist to indicate my Marines halt, too, to see what they did.

I was ready to show these wounded rebels mercy and render aid if they surrendered. But they opened fire instead.

My heart pounded in my chest as I hit the dirt again, and I heard someone from my detail cry out in pain – she'd been shot. And just like that, the anger bubbled up inside me again.

 _Goddammit._

"Get a corpsman over here now!" I yelled into the general channel, just before rising up to a crouch to take out the fucker who'd hit one of my team. "The rest of you, open up!"

We took down the first line of insurgents that ran at us quickly, but more were coming through now. Not all injured this time. It'd been a ploy – I saw that now. And I almost couldn't believe they'd done it.

Just as we were about to get overwhelmed, as Delaney and Mullen's batt hadn't made it up yet, I heard a distinctly alien growl to our left and saw a familiar crimson-armored Elite appear with a flash of his humming energy sword. As I kept my gun trained forward, I watched the progress of the glowing weapon in the shaded forest, swiping indiscriminately through the line of rebels before us.

And behind Torran came his Elites.

In seconds the platoon-size enemy element facing us was gone – they were just more bodies on the ground now. A whole minute passed with no further attacks, and I finally lowered the barrel of my rifle and took a deep, steadying breath.

"Ma'am," a female voice said over the COM then. It was Captain Marsh. "You wanted a report, Colonel."

"Yes," I replied hastily, still out of breath from the fight.

"I got off the COM with Commander Lloyd. That element you just encountered was the insurgents' forward patrol. They were scouting for our location."

I snorted to myself. "Well, they aren't anymore. And there's no one left to report back. Do we know where their command group is?"

"Negative, ma'am," Lloyd cut in then. "Commander Cooper and I are working on that now."

"Got it," I answered.

In the brief lull before we reached the open field, I thought of Laraza again. He was out here, somewhere. Had to be. But I could also imagine him being far from the carnage – in the past, he'd always left his dirty work to his underlings.

Before I got lost in that, though, I reminded myself that our first priority was still the portal. If we found Laraza and his daughter, too, that would be a bonus. But for now, we needed to stem the tide, and make sure no more Prometheans or rebels made it through the gateway.

"Keep at it, you two," I said over the radio to Lloyd. "Let my brother know we're pushing in now. If you find Laraza we can pivot, but only once that portal's gone."

"Will do, Colonel."

As soon as the connection cut I gestured to my detail and began moving forward once more. I saw Torran standing amongst his Elites, who were now mixed with my Marines, and gave him a slight nod. His blade was still lit and ready, although he lowered it as I approached.

"You came in at the right time, Torran," I said with an extended hand. "Thanks."

The Sangheili warrior looked back at me for a long moment before shaking it. "It had to be done. We have achieved our…what did you call it? _Rendezvous?_ Shall we continue the assault now, human?"

I pulled my rifle closer to my chest, glancing ahead. "Yes. Let's." Then I sighed. "I don't know about the rebels, but I know for sure some Prometheans survived. We'll have to fight to get through the rest so we can get that damn gateway shut down. Are you ready?"

"I am always prepared, Colonel."

I nodded and turned away. I knew the smart thing at this point was to get an aerial vantage point before we continued. That meant contacting Willis.

"Hawk? What do you see?"

"A whole lot of destruction, ma'am," he answered without hesitation.

"Can you paint enemy areas of activity for us?"

"Yes, ma'am. We'll do a sweep real quick. ETA is two mikes."

I sent him a flash of acknowledgment via my HUD and entered the command channel. "Marines, this is Colonel Cooper. Keep pushing forward. This isn't over yet. We're not expecting a lot of resistance; the enemy has taken confirmed heavy losses. But that doesn't mean there's no one left to fight. It's still dangerous. Be cautious as you move ahead, and take out any stragglers you see. We're getting an updated hotspot map from our air support shortly. Standby."

In the meantime I made sure my security detail and I geared up again – reloading weapons and rapidly checking our HUDs and packs. After that I sent Torran and his Sangheili group on their way as well. There was still some ground to cover before we made it to the big field. I hoped we'd get there by the time Willis and his pilots were done scouting for us.

After too many setbacks, at least something was finally going well.


	36. Chapter 35: On the Run

**Chapter Thirty-Five: On The Run**

The lines between factions blurred the deeper into the forest we went. It was quiet at first, which I found strange, as I knew around us several hundred Marines were currently maneuvering to get into position – Mullen's batt to the left of us, Delaney's on the right, and Murphy's engineers coming in dead center. But the thickness of the trees here dampened the sound.

It was only when we reached the clearing that I saw why.

Torran and his Elites had no reaction. My aide, though – Gunnery Sergeant York – gave a small whistle beside me. "Can't say your plan didn't work, Colonel. This is…damn impressive."

"Thanks, Gage," I answered low, almost absently, because I wasn't even sure that was the correct response.

It was now that we got to truly see the effects of Willis's air strike earlier. Broken bodies and black craters and dark wisps of smoke filled the field ahead of us. Bits of metal were interspersed between the pools of red as well, indicating we hadn't just decimated the rebels in the area – many Prometheans had gone down, too.

The plan, despite its uncertainties, had been successful. So far. But although I was grateful for that, the gory scene of carnage made celebration impossible. Even though we'd succeeded, it was still terribly sad.

I paused for a moment at the thought – it wasn't something that would have even crossed my mind right after my captivity, and what I'd experienced at the hands of the rebs back on Puget. Maybe there was hope for me, for _change_ , yet.

"Colonel? Are we to press the charge?" Torran asked, coming up on the other side of me.

Still a little lost, I nodded, gesturing to my security detail as well. "Let's move forward, Marines. We've got plenty of mop up to do. Stay sharp."

I nearly gagged inside my helmet when the sour air finally hit the filters. It took a moment for our systems to compensate. It made me queasy, if nothing else than because of how sick I'd been recently, controlled only by my periodic doses of meds. I had to swallow hard to keep the bile at bay and continue on.

Still awaiting targets from my husband, I hailed him again. "Hawk? How's it looking?"

"Almost done. Uploading hot spots now." I heard him take in a breath. "Be careful down there, Cooper."

"Will do."

I knew better than to let my guard down just because things were going well for us for once. This still wasn't over – the portal could change the tide of this fight at any minute. We had to finish this now, before any reinforcements arrived.

The hotbeds of enemy activity popped up on my HUD then, right on time. I motioned to my security detail to form up closer around me and pulled in Torran's team as well.

"We'll wait here for Major Murphy and his battalion before we head in, while we still have some cover," I said. Then I hailed the 8th Engineer's commander. "Jack, how's it looking?"

"I've received the updated map from Hawk, ma'am. Coming up on your six now."

"Excellent. We're on the move, then."

We pushed forward again just as I heard the sounds of Murphy's battalion – my former batt – moving in behind us. In short order our three groups had integrated, as we all slowed to make it through the field of bodies and debris. The Elites were quicker than us, taking longer strides through what was just alien corpses and torn metal to them.

"Do you feel for them, human?" Torran asked me suddenly.

I was caught off guard. "What?"

"These humans. Your brothers and sisters. Does their death upset you?"

I couldn't very well stop to collect my thoughts in the middle of a warzone, so I frowned. "I…I don't…it's complicated."

I'd told Sennu otherwise. I'd told her I wanted them dead, for what they'd done to me and Cal and others. But it was still hard.

Surprisingly, that seemed satisfactory to the Sangheili warrior, as he said nothing else.

By then, we'd reached the first pockets of survivors.

"Marines, take cover! We've got incoming!"

I shouted the order just as I ducked for cover myself – a large pile of robot-AI debris beside a shallow crater. It was odd to see the earth inside blackened and destroyed, while just a few feet away the bright grass and sparse flora remained. It was not unlike soldiers fighting in a war – some lived and some didn't, and the difference between them was often nothing more than dumb, blind luck.

I didn't have time to wax poetic in my head, though – the light rounds came in fast, almost quicker than I could slide in behind cover. What surprised me most wasn't that the rounds increased as we fired back – it was that they changed in type as well. Bullets. That meant rebs.

"They're really fighting side-by-side?" Murphy shouted over the COM channel, astonished.

"That's the idea!" I called back, crouching now as I brought my rifle to bear and squeezed the trigger.

My first target was a Crawler, racing through the beaten landscape ahead of the rest, leaping deftly over the wreckage in its path. I put an end to it mid-air with two tight bursts from my battle rifle. The metal sparked and exploded, becoming just more rubble crowding the field. It did stop the next enemy from approaching, however – it was a reb, human, who clearly hadn't been expecting the small detonation. He tripped over the remains of the blast, cartwheeled, and landed face-first in the grass. I shot him in the head before he could get back up.

As I searched for the next target, I saw Murphy suddenly come up beside me to share my cover. I turned to look at him.

"Murphy, what are you – "

"No worries, ma'am. Just passing through," he said, right before he waited a split-second for a pause in the firing to rise up again, sprinting away.

I watched briefly as he ran ahead, gunning down a string of smaller Promethean enemies with his SMG before ducking to reload, then taking down a trio of insurgents in quick succession. I looked over to my left and saw Torran doing the same on the other side of the small group we'd come upon. Guess there wasn't _too_ much of a difference between humans and Sangheili after all. At least, not those two.

The thought made me grin.

"Marines, push up!" I yelled into the fray. "Follow Murphy and the Elite!"

For my part, I chose to stay back for now – I still had my own role to play, and I understood that that wasn't getting right into the thick of things anymore. Well…to a reasonable degree. I did keep an eye on the 8th Engineers' and Torran's team's progress on my HUD, however. After clearing out this pocket, they were headed on to the next.

On our flanks, Delaney and Mullen's batt were finally pushing through as well.

From my position, out of the main fighting now but still in the debris field, I didn't dare stand yet, or take off my helmet, but I did sit down in the dirt with my back up against the barrier. Rifle still in hand, I shut my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. This was all still far from over, but I finally felt the weight of what had just occurred. Of what I'd orchestrated, and what we'd all accomplished together as a unit.

We'd damn near eliminated a whole joint rebel-Promethean force in a single, devasting attack. And once these pockets were gone, we'd finally reach the portal. And _that_ would significantly turn the tide here on Sanghelios in our favor.

* * *

I came up to the site of the portal when all was said and done. It'd taken the rest of the day to clear the areas of the map where Willis had indicated resistance remained, but my battalions and Torran's group were quite thorough. Nothing breathing – besides us – was left on the field.

Rifle slung over my shoulder, I stepped over a large pile of broken robot-AIs – Crawlers and a few Watchers, from the looks of things – and went to stand beside the Sangheili team leader, Major Murphy, and Major Delaney – all of whom were already in conference.

"Well?" I asked when I arrived. "What's the hold-up here? Why isn't this place getting rigged?"

My XO said nothing, but Murphy gave Torran a hard stare. "Four Jaws over here doesn't want us to blow it up."

Torran scoffed. "We do not have four _jaws_ , human. We have a four- _hinged_ jaw."

"It's an _expression_ , red belly."

Delaney piped up, "Actually, Jack, it's his armor that's red, not - "

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Stop it!"

All eyes – alien or otherwise – were suddenly on me. I ran a hand down my face to compose myself. Then I sighed and held out my hands at my sides.

"None of that matters, all right? Torran, would you please explain why you're not letting us blow this shit to kingdom come? I already cleared it with Sennu."

"Sennu does not have _jurisdiction_ over this. It is a military matter. I am in charge."

"Okay. But my question still stands. Why?"

"This place…it means much to the Sangheili. To the keep. We must find a way to deactivate it without - "

I quickly shook my head. "There _is_ no other way. I'm sorry, Torran, but we can't leave this backdoor open. You know that. It's bad news for you and for us."

"I cannot allow its destruction, Colonel."

The tall Sangheili warrior stepped closer – I supposed to be as intimidating as possible, but I refused to let it work. Instead, I looked up at him, meeting his gaze with an equally hard stare.

"Torran, if you want to make sure Vettel Keep is kept safe – that it remains thriving and _alive_ – you don't have a choice." I gripped my rifle tighter. "Tomorrow, next week, an hour from now…hell, _five minutes_ from now, a whole new unit of Prometheans or rebs or _both_ can come walking through that portal." I threw my hands up, frustrated. "If we don't get rid of it, I don't know what the fuck we're doing here. Or why we just went through all this. More will come, you can bet on it. They'll replace the ones that fought today and we may not be able to get past them again."

"Fine. Propose something other than explosives."

"There _is_ no other way," I repeated forcefully.

"The lieutenant colonel's right," I heard someone say behind us, and I turned to see my brother, dressed in ONI fatigues. He stepped forward, getting subtly closer to me in case things went sideways without warning, and added, "I discussed this previously with you and with Sennu, Torran. This was always the plan. We've got to do this now."

The Elite stared hard at both of us for a while before he spoke. "We have already lost much because of these attacks. Our sacred temple is gone."

"I know, Torran. So does my brother." I gestured back to Mark, then faced the Sangheili fighter again. "The thing you have to ask yourself is, are you going to end it?"

Finally Torran took a step back and let out a growl, and though I didn't lift my weapon, the sound alone made my hackles go way up. I didn't know if he was about to defy us, and Sennu, and our precarious alliance and attack, or if it was just a sound of borne of helpless anger – him venting frustration because he knew we were right.

"I do not wish to see more harm done to my world, nor to the keep in the future, if it should come to that," he responded. "Besides your rogue humans and their metal pets, we also have traitors among our own to think about. We cannot fight this war on so many fronts.

"So, you are correct, humans. It is better we end this part here, now."

I was relieved that the veteran Sangheili was able to see reason. I finally loosened my grip on my gun, then exchanged a concerned glance with Mark. We'd just dodged a bullet – diplomatically and maybe physically, too. Before the Elite could change his mind, I keyed my mike to enter the general channel. "Marines, let's rig the portal to blow and prepare to move out. Double time."

* * *

I could feel anxiousness building inside me as one of the demo teams from the Eighth Battalion finished getting the portal ready for detonation. Memories resurfaced of my time on Khan, where I'd been posted three years ago with my younger brother – when I'd ordered his group to do exactly what Murphy's Marines were doing now, and how I'd almost lost him. How even when we'd miraculously found Travis alive, so, so many others had remained dead and buried amongst the ruins.

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey. You okay?"

I didn't answer right away. Instead I moved slightly out of reach and folded my arms across my chest. "Fine. Just…remembering some things."

Mark sighed and came to stand beside me, arms also crossed now. "Travis told me, you know. Once he'd recovered enough to send us a message." My brother reached out again, this time to pull me in for a quick side hug. "He never blamed you for it. Allison and I didn't, either. Said you did what you had to do that day, and that he was proud to have done his duty, too. I just wanted you to know that, you know, in case he never said." He released me and lifted his chin in the direction of the Eighth's Marines. "They'll be fine."

I nodded but didn't say anything for a time, until I thought of something. "What about Laraza?"

Mark shook his head. "I checked with Lloyd just before I got to the portal site. Not today, little sis. But we'll get 'im. This may be the last of the Prometheans, but we know it's not the last of the rebs."

"They'll be that much harder to find now, but I don't think this will stop them."

"No." He let out another sigh and bumped my shoulder good-naturedly. "You did good here today, kid. Enjoy the victory for a while."

And I did, truly. What we'd accomplished here today was nothing short of amazing. But with so many things still up in the air – personally, professionally – I found it hard to relax.

The tension in me didn't ease until the portal to Puget finally went up in smoke, in a great flash of red and orange and yellow and black. Although I didn't let it show in front of my detail, and Torran's group, I held my breath until I finally got the terse all-clear from Major Murphy.

"Colonel, we're done here. Heading to the RV."


	37. Chapter 36: Next Steps

Author's Note: Just wanted to say thanks to everybody for sticking with this. I'm sorry my updates have been so sporadic with this fic. But, I'm definitely still on board. :)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Six: Next Steps**

 **0750 Hours, July 20, 2561. Vettel Keep, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Eighteen of the Enemy of My Enemy**

" - that's where we should focus our efforts," Mark was saying as we stood over the holomap in our makeshift regimental CP, back at the keep. "The Prometheans aren't going to be a problem anymore. They've been wiped out. We need to switch gears and go for - "

On the other side of the table, Cal shook his head. "Sir, respectfully, I disagree. The intel we've collected the last couple days - "

" - is pretty clear, Commander. And if we're really still on the fence about it..." He gestured to me. "Then I'll defer to my sister."

The conversation stopped just as I was downing one of the pills Reynolds had given me to combat my body's aversion to Sanghelios. Mouth full of water, I swallowed quickly and made a face as I felt the pill slide down my throat at an awkward angle.

Mark folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "Maybe...we'll get back to her."

"No," I croaked. I cleared my throat before going on. "I see what both of you are saying, but I've made my decision." I took a step closer towards the map. "We know the Elites are fighting a civil war right now. But so far, we've seen no signs of it here. I'm not going to worry about an internal struggle that may or may not be happening around us. I think the clearest threat, however many were killed in our last outing, will still be the rebs. They're cornered now and all alone. I don't think we need to fear their numbers, but I do fear their determination, and the fact that they're likely more than willing to claw their way out. I'm expecting guerilla-style hits to start hampering our movements. So, to that end - "

My big brother held up a hand. "Nat, I'm sorry. But if I'm being honest, I think you're both just wanting to hunt after Laraza for personal reasons. And I get it - I do. I want that fucker to pay for what he did to you. But I've been here longer than you both, and I'm telling you, the civil war _is_ here, and we are going to start to feel it. Whether or not you choose to take my advice on that is, well, up to you."

In a move that surprised me, Mark abruptly walked out then, leaving just me and Lloyd behind, at a loss.

I let out a frustrated sigh and shut down the holomap before us. Then I leaned my hands against the edge. "I'm sorry about that, Cal. My brother - "

"It's okay, ma'am. Really. I understand. Commander Cooper is more embroiled in the Sangheili side of things. You and I are focused on the rebels. Either way, I'm not worried you'll make the wrong choice."

I nodded, finding his words to be just the spirit boost I needed. "Thanks, Cal."

"No problem, ma'am." The ONI officer glanced uncertainly at the entrance. "I'm guessing the meeting's over now?"

"Yeah. We'll...have to come back to this."

Lloyd met my gaze. "Then I have some news for you, Colonel. About the message."

I'd tried my best to keep Ethan's odd text out of my mind while I waited for the results, but the fact that the info was finally here was more than I'd hoped for. I couldn't hide my eager interest. "Well?"

Cal's face broke into a grin. "You called it, ma'am. That message was _not_ sent from Lieutenant Ackerson. I have proof, and hopefully it'll let you off the hook with Major Hawk."

"How did you - "

"I saw how distraught you were when you came to me about this. I figured something major had to have happened between you two, and this was the common factor." He gave a small wave of his hand. "Anyway, when you're ready, let me know and I can show him. There's no way that message is authentic."

I felt like even more tension and stress that had been absolutely heaped on my shoulders lately lifted. Maybe Willis would still be upset at me. Maybe he wouldn't believe it, or maybe he was done with the charades by now and just wanted out. Just wanted our marriage to be over. But I had hope now, more than before, and for a moment that was all I could focus on.

Cal waited. "I see you're not asking me the bigger question here."

"What?" I said it like I'd just come out of a daze.

To Lloyd's credit, he didn't roll his eyes and remained patient. "If it wasn't Ackerson who sent it, then who did?"

"Oh. Right. So who was it? Were you able to find out?"

"The answer...may or may not surprise you, ma'am. After much digging, I was able to find that the text originated from none other than Sofía Laraza."

I couldn't get the news out of my head. The relief was instant - I'd been right, and that meant Willis and I now had a chance. But hearing about the true source of "Ethan's" message was still tough.

"How, Caleb?" I asked my friend. "I can only imagine the kind of skills that would require. To mirror an authentic UNSC user? And an ONI operative, no less?"

Lloyd nodded. "It's sophisticated, all right. Took a while to crack. Whatever else we think about Laraza's girl, she's smart and an extraordinary hacker." He met my gaze again. "That'll complicate things. We need to make HighCom aware of this, and make sure all our channels are secure from now on."

I answered in the affirmative but said nothing else. I didn't know what else _to_ say.

Just when we thought one large problem had been solved, more appeared to take its place already.

* * *

Later in the day I called my battalion commanders to a briefing. Willis included. I wasn't at all sure how that was going to go, but I figured I'd try talking to him alone after the meeting was over. It'd been days since he'd given up on us, and we were a few out from our big op at the portal site now as well. That was the last time we'd spoken - and even then, only in an official capacity.

"I wanted to check in with you after the op, and let you know I've decided on our next steps," I said to everyone once the senior officers had gathered. "Firstly, I want to thank you all for the part you played in getting the portal site shut down. What we pulled off was...truly amazing. It's a big weight off our shoulders, and an enormous blow to the rebel presence here." I paused to fold my arms across my chest. "That said, the Insurgents' leader, Javier Laraza, is still at large, as is most of his newly arrived unit. I want to maintain our roving patrols outside the keep now for that reason alone - let's not let our guard down just yet.

"As for what's happening with the Sangheili, I'm told things might be heating up soon in that direction as well." As I said this, I made eye contact with my brother. I needed him to know I'd heard what he'd said, and that I took it seriously, but it wasn't going to change the decision I'd made. "We will continue to keep an ear to the ground in that regard, and I will be speaking with Torran and Sennu later on that matter. For now, however, I want to focus our efforts on finding and eliminating the remaining rebels - namely, the general and his daughter." I glanced over at Caleb. "ONI is looking into the matter. They'll be harder to find now that much of their main force is gone, but I expect small-scale attacks to bring them forward soon. As soon as they do, or we find other evidence of their location, we'll be going after them. Any questions?"

"What's the timetable on this, ma'am?" my XO asked.

"As long as it takes or until the brass recalls us." I put my hands on my hips. "We're in the endgame now, and I plan to see this through."

Someone in the back cleared their throat. "So you have our ground troops running patrol and the spooks collecting info on our enemies. What do you want us to do, exactly, in the meantime?"

It was the first time I'd even seen Willis in days, let alone heard him speak to me. I took it in stride in front of the others and gave him a slight nod.

"That's a fair question. Your pilots will remain on standby until needed. Likely, that'll be for recon from here on out, but maybe more if things get wild." I swallowed discreetly, then said, "And I wanted to thank you and your flyboys specifically for the job well done at the site, Hawk. Everything went exactly as planned, which might just be the first time in my whole damn career I can say that." I upturned a corner of my lips as I said it, and got a few chuckles out of the other officers. Willis's face, however, remained impassive.

"One last thing before I let you all go. It's come to my attention that the Insurgents left have a very skilled hacker in their midst. Laraza's daughter, in fact. It seems she's been able to get into our systems and produce some _very_ convincing messages, indistinguishable on the surface from real ones from real servicepeople." I looked pointedly at my husband, and for a moment, thought I saw a flash of surprise in his hazel eyes that was gone again a second later. "So, we'll be keeping a sharp eye on all incoming UNSC network texts from now on. If you ever receive orders from anyone - including High Command or myself - that seem suspicious, please check in with me in person about it. Door's always open.

"That is all. Dismissed."

* * *

I waited for my senior command to file out of the CP before I tried to go catch Willis. As he'd been standing near the back for the duration, however, he'd been one of the first out, and now that I left the tent, he was nowhere to be found.

I couldn't help the sudden lump that formed in my throat at seeing he was gone. Even with the news that our message system had been compromised, he still had nothing to say to me. I felt the prick of tears behind my eyes, but I quickly shook my head to get rid of them. There'd be time for that later, in private. Not now.

"Colonel Cooper?"

I turned and almost chuckled at my damn luck. Murphy was standing behind me.

I folded my arms across my chest again, the amusement fading as I braced myself for whatever he had to say. "Yes, Major. What can I do for you?"

Astonishment didn't begin to describe what I felt when he stuck out his hand.

"I just wanted to say, ma'am, that what you pulled off at the portal site the other day was...nothing short of magic. Thank you, Colonel, for having me take part."

"I, uh..." I was left utterly speechless. I didn't even take his hand and shake it yet. I just stared.

Murphy seemed to understand my hesitation, but kept his hand where it was. "Your personal life is yours, ma'am. I still don't agree with it, but as a field officer, I haven't seen many like you in my time. I can't doubt that side of you any longer."

Though still at a loss, I finally stuck out my own hand and shook his.

"Thank you, Jack. That means more than you know."


	38. Chapter 37: On the Home Front

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: On the Home Front**

"There she is," Cal said, smiling ear-to-ear as he showed me an ultrasound picture Brewer had sent him via letchip, a day after the briefing. "Or he." My best friend looked at me then, still grinning. "Want to find out with me?"

I smiled, too. Couldn't help it. "Of course. Let's see who Logan's little playmate will be."

Caleb tapped a flashing icon of a gift box in the corner of the screen, and animated confetti and balloons came out, all in a single color. My friend let out a surprised laugh.

"Pink," he said. "It's pink. I'm having a girl! Ha!"

My buddy threw his arms around me jubilantly as we sat together, and though I thought I felt the air leave my lungs for a second, I grinned wide and hugged him back.

"Congratulations, Cal."

"Thanks, Cooper." He seemed to catch himself and glanced around. Other Marines sat nearby, chowing down on their lunch in the mess. "I mean, ma'am."

I waved him off. "It's fine." We always remained formal in uniform, and kept it more casual off-duty, but I couldn't fault him too much for the slip-up given the news. "So?" I asked him with a slight smirk. "You ready to have _three_ girls in the house?"

He chuckled. "Ah, no, ma'am. I don't think so. But I know Alexis will be really excited to have a little sister."

"And you and Dani?"

"We just wanted a healthy baby, which, so far, she is." He smiled proudly at the ultrasound again. "Only four months to go, and we'll finally get to see her sweet little face. I can't wait."

I didn't want to put a damper on the mood by saying that we didn't know if we'd be done here on Sanghelios by then, although the thought crossed my mind. Instead, I said, "The wait is always the hardest part. Every time I was pregnant, I couldn't wait to meet whoever popped out." There'd been once that Willis and I hadn't gotten that far, but in the moment I focused on the other three times we had. "With Gabriel I was _very_ ready for him to come out. Kid made us wait right up till the end. The twins, though, were early. So was my little Logan."

"Do you think you'll have kids again?"

The question seemed to just spill out of him, and it caught me off guard. I knew the answer, had for a while now, but for a moment, I couldn't find my voice. "Uh. I think I'd need to patch things up with Willis first. But - " I said the rest on a sigh. "No. I think I'm finally done with that part of my life."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to put you on the spot," Cal said a little sheepishly. "I just...the way you talk about your kids, it's like - they just light up your whole world."

I couldn't keep from smiling again. "Well, they do. And I miss them very much." I gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Just wait till your daughter's born."

We turned back to our meals then. The happy vibe lingered until I glanced up with a full bite and saw Willis approach.

"Is it true?" he asked, looking from Caleb to me and back again. He saw that I wasn't able to answer and finally settled on my buddy. "Our messages are getting hacked?"

"If you're asking about one in particular, yes." Lloyd continued eating with one hand as he handed over his datapad to my husband with the other. "I can show you, if you give me a sec."

"Sure."

Willis was talking like I wasn't there, even after I managed to swallow my food. I sat and watched uncertainly for a minute, fork poised for another bite but waiting.

Willis surprised me then by breaking into a small grin. "A girl for you and Brewer, huh? Congrats, man."

"Thanks, Hawk." Caleb leaned over the table to take back his device. "This is the file, here. I've highlighted what tipped us off to the discrepancies. And I already traced it back to the source. Which, as your wife mentioned yesterday, is definitively _not_ Ackerson."

My husband sat down across from us and spent a long stretch of silence looking it over. I almost felt like he was looking for a reason to doubt it, until he abruptly handed the datapad back. "Okay. Thanks." It was only then that he glanced at me again. "Cooper, can I talk to you outside for a minute?"

"Yeah." I gave Cal a look as I stood; I wasn't even really sure why. Maybe for reassurance. My friend had his face buried in his food, though. I was on my own.

When we reached the courtyard I stood by the building and waited.

Willis didn't say a word for a while. He stood in front of me, close, arms crossed, but didn't speak. I thought I might need to break the silence, even if I didn't want to, until he finally cleared his throat and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, Coop."

"Willis - "

"No, really. You told me this wasn't what I thought it was, and even though you screwed up, you've always been honest and forthcoming about everything that happened between you two. I...should've listened this time, too."

I almost chuckled at his words, though not out of humor. More disbelief. "Willis, I can't fault you for not believing me. I mean...I get it. If the roles were reversed, I - " I stopped there, shaking my head.

"So..." He sighed heavily. "What now?"

"What do you want?" I put my hands on my hips, awaiting his answer.

"What do I want?" he repeated. His golden brows furrowed, not quite understanding.

"Yes," I said firmly. "Because yesterday, at the briefing, you already knew this information, and you still walked out. You still...walked away."

Willis glanced skyward. "Natalie, I needed some time to think. Getting this info was...not what I expected. As far as I was concerned, we were done."

"Oh? When were you waiting to tell me?"

"I did. When you came to talk to me, and again when you got sick."

I shook my head, suddenly frustrated. "You said you _couldn't_. In that moment. At that point in time. You never came to me and said, 'I want a divorce.'"

"I - " Willis threw his hands up. "I don't really know what to say." He swallowed. "I just know that this changes things."

"For _you_ , maybe!" I dropped my arms at my sides and blew out a breath, looking away. "Willis, once again, we're just circling back to an old problem. I can't trust you anymore to be by my side - to stand by me, to support me! And you can't trust me either, for reasons we already know. I fucked up, I get it, we've been around and around this damn rodeo too many times now. I just - " I took in a deep, painful breath, and slowly let it out. "I can't keep doing this with you. I love you, so much, but I can't." I met his gaze then, saw the hurt and confusion in his eyes. "You need to take more time. Decide if you really want to be with me. If you can look past, let go, whatever you want to call it, everything we've been through the past several months and work towards moving forward. Towards healing this. Because if not, and if you're just going to leave me at every fucking fork in the road from now on, then...then we really shouldn't be doing this again." I felt a tear leak out of one of my eyes and I brushed it away quickly, angrily. "You need to decide if you can finally forgive me."

Leaving him standing there, without an answer, was harder than I'd imagined, but I knew I had to stand my ground on this. I didn't want another five-minute reunion. If we did get back together, I wanted it to be for good this time. I wanted to be secure in what that really meant. I wasn't expecting him to forget what happened between us. But I did wish that if we got back together, we'd move on.


	39. Chapter 38: When You're Busy 1

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: When You're Busy Making Other Plans, Part One**

 **1218 Hours, August 3, 2561. Vettel Keep, Qivro, Planet Sanghelios. Day Thirty-Two of the Enemy of My Enemy**

I didn't know why I thought the briefing with the Elites would be less tumultuous, but I did.

Apparently, I'd been very wrong about that.

"I cannot believe what you did at the portal site, Torran," Sennu was saying to him. "We went over this more than once, in this very chamber. By ourselves and with the humans. With the colonel and the commander. Why would you defy us, _me_ , in that way? What have you to say?"

"I am in charge of military operations," Torran said matter-of-factly, completely unfazed. "When confronted with the situation, I did not view things the way you did. The _kaidon_ would have - "

"The _kaidon_ is not here," Sennu pushed back. "I am. And it was not your place to decide that on your own."

Torran stepped forward, appearing to stand taller. "In the end I made no such decision. The humans assured the plan went as you had declared."

Sennu stared at him for a long moment. Finally, she said, "To whom do you pledge your allegiance, Torran?"

"To the Swords and to the keep. You know this."

"Then you may want to act in the interest of those you say you serve, brother."

Though not directed at me, Torran's growl sent a chill down my spine. I instantly remembered how tough it had been fighting Elites on the frontlines during the War. "My actions _always_ speak for me, Sennu," he responded.

"Okay, okay," I said, mustering up the courage to stand between two beings that towered over me - one more than the other. I felt a little like an ant getting between two birds as they fought over crumbs. "I can see there's some...tension here about who's calling the shots. We have our own disagreements from time to time as well." As I said this, I glanced back at Mark, who, rather than hearing my words, looked momentarily stricken at the position I'd put myself in. "But realize that this solves nothing. This is just a pissing contest for something that's already happened. Torran, the portal is gone. Let it _go_." I faced the _kaidon's_ wife now. "And Sennu, we did exactly what you asked us to, even if Torran took some convincing to get on board at the end. My brother and I are here to discuss what happens next. What are you planning on doing about the Sangheili that want to kill us?"

Torran clicked his mandibles, not missing a beat. "We kill them."

I brought a hand up to my face - carefully, so the Sangheili guards around us didn't see it as a threat. "Yes, Torran. I meant how. What's your plan?"

Sennu took this one. "We have our scouts watching and listening. As you have yours, Commander," she said, glancing at my brother. "We too have heard whisperings that the civil war is on its way. But so far, we have seen nothing. I believe it wise to take care of the remainder of the human rebels first, as they are the more tangible threat at this time."

I had to work not to look at Mark and say, "I told you so." As it was, my older brother folded his arms across his chest and avoided my gaze.

"All right," I finally said. "But it's been _two weeks_ of nothing so far. So when you do hear anything, you'll let us know - "

"Not nothing, ma'am."

All of us turned to face the newcomer in the room. He stood near the saga wall, helmet in hand, SMG slung over his shoulder, and still wearing his flightsuit. He looked to me first. "Cooper, I've got some news that you might want to impart to the Elites here."

"Who is this, Colonel?" Sennu said, coming forward. Her guards followed.

"Major Hawk. My air commander," I answered, suddenly fearing for my husband's safety.

Willis held his hands up to keep from being cornered. "It's okay. I spoke to the guards outside. They let me in. And I apologize for intruding on the meeting, but I think you'll want to hear this." He looked at Sennu and Torran, then me and Mark. "All of you."

"Go on," Sennu prompted.

I waited until she waved off her guards to breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever our troubles, I wasn't going to stand by and let Willis get attacked, even if what he'd done by barging in here was foolish. I was glad no one would have to draw their weapons today. But I'd always be ready to protect my children's father.

Apparently Willis was just as aware of the close call, since he licked his lips before speaking. "I was just out on an aerial recon with my squadrons, per Lieutenant Colonel Cooper's orders. We've found evidence of a human hideout about thirty klicks north of here." With that he met my gaze. "I have to think that's where Laraza's hiding."

"Laraza? The rogue human leader?" Sennu asked.

"Yes," Willis, Mark, and I said at the same time.

"I've already notified Lloyd," Willis said to Mark and I. "He's getting his spook team ready to get some numbers and the layout on the ground. But if we do more than that, we'll need the Elites' help. _Your_ help," he said to Sennu and Torran.

Torran stood off to the side, watching the exchange but staying silent. Sennu paused for a moment before responding.

"Then, to borrow a human phrase, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

During the rest of the meeting, Sennu gave Torran clearance to get a team of Elites together to help us go after Laraza. In the meantime, I issued orders to my regiment while still inside the common room, ensuring Major Delaney kept things flowing here at the keep while Major Mullen prepared his battalion for an assault. Major Murphy and the 8th Engineers were to remain in reserve for now, and keep up the routine patrols and construction efforts within the keep.

All sides acknowledged that a coordinated attack would take time, but that we also didn't want to waste too much of it. I knew the Insurgents could move again, or decide to strike first, if we waited too long. However, I did still want to make sure this was real - that this was it - before committing all our combined troops to this single endeavor. So, to that end, we'd agreed to wait for Cal's team to come back first with a more detailed report. The idea was that the joint strike would take place no later than the end of the week - preferably sooner.

It wasn't a surprise then with all the goings-on that I left the briefing with the Elites feeling on edge. If I had to admit it, I was even still feeling harried over Willis's run in with the guards. It would've been an utter mess if he'd truly been attacked. _I_ would've been a mess. And it would have definitely meant that our fragile alliance was over. For good.

"Natalie, wait up!"

I turned to see Willis coming up behind me now. He had to jog a few steps to catch up.

"Where'd your brother peel off to?"

"Talk with Lloyd, he said," I answered. "Cal said he needed to act fast and that the rebs were more his specialty anyway, but Mark wants to be kept in the loop."

"Understandable."

"What else can you tell me about what you saw?"

It felt like we'd entered a bizarre neutral state inside the chamber. Suddenly our personal squabbles didn't matter. This did.

What I'd felt when I thought he might get hurt did.

"Not much." Willis scratched his head, the dark gold in his short hair reflecting off the midday sunlight. "It was a stone building, like the keep. Like everything around here. No gateway around that one, though, and nothing else. It wasn't in a field, either, like here. The trees were thicker so it was hard to spot." He glanced down at his boots. "I just saw the outline of the building, but there were definitely troops in the surroundings. Electronics identified them as human, not Sangheili. And it's not us, so..."

"So it's gotta be the rebs."

"Yeah."

We were both quiet for a moment, despite the activity around us. Sangheili going about their daily tasks inside the keep as we walked back to our side - the UNSC side - of the courtyard.

Finally, I asked, "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Just...walk right into the chamber. You could've - you should have known that'd be dangerous."

"I did, but I felt like the news was urgent enough."

I stopped walking then and faced him. "Urgent enough to get you killed? Jesus, Will. If nothing else makes you hesitate, think of our _four_ kids, and how they might _maybe_ want you to stick around."

Instead of getting upset at the rebuke, Willis suddenly smirked behind his sunglasses. "You were worried about me. Admit it."

"I was. Am." I released a sigh. "And I have no problem saying that to you. Whatever you might feel...or don't, I still love you. I don't want to see you get hurt, and I don't want our kids to have to live without you. So just...be careful next time."

"Will do."

We continued walking until he stopped outside his quarters - my former quarters, which he'd commandeered. I hadn't even realized that was the direction we'd been walking in. I felt a stab of pain in my chest, that this was where we'd be leaving things, for who knows how long again.

Until Willis surprised me by putting an arm around my shoulders. He pulled me closer and kissed the side of my head.

"I still love you, too, Natalie."

And with that, he let me go and went inside.

* * *

I couldn't sleep that night. Cal's team still hadn't come back yet, or radioed in, and I was worried about what they'd found. If they'd encountered resistance. I was worried about the Sangheili we knew were out there and wanted us dead, and that we didn't know how close or far they were. I was worried about me and Willis, and our kids back home, and even for Torran and Sennu and the keep - for what had been our home for almost the past month.

So many plates to juggle, and so much that fell on me. It was relentless.

Presently I lay on my cot in my brother's room, ready for bed but my mind continued to wander. The lights were out and I was dressed in my T-shirt and PT shorts under the blanket, rather than my usual shirt and underwear, since I was rooming with Mark. I couldn't get comfortable on my back so I turned to my right side, then my left, until I finally sat up.

"Nat," my big brother said sleepily from his bunk, "What's wrong?"

"Can't sleep," I replied, slowly laying back down with my arms behind my head, now that I'd gotten his attention. I stared at up the ceiling in the dark. "Have you heard from Cal yet?"

He rolled over in his bed to check his datapad on the desk beside him. "Nothing, sis. I bet we won't hear anything till morning. Lloyd told me his team is valuing stealth over speed, which I agreed with, so don't expect too much tonight." Finally I heard him sit up for a minute, too. "What's this really about?"

I thought about telling him about Willis, and what had happened today. That he'd almost been attacked, maybe killed, and that he'd kissed me goodbye after the briefing. Sort of. But it was too much to sort out in my head right now, so I remained silent. "Nothing, big bro. Go back to sleep."


	40. Chapter 39: When You're Busy 2

Author's Note: Valentine's Day special!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Nine: When You're Busy Making Other Plans, Part Two**

Mark was asleep again in no time. I heard the change in his breathing as it slowly evened out. Minutes later, he was still and snoring lightly.

Seeing him asleep just made me more restless. I thought about Cal again, and my walk with Willis back to his side of the keep, of Laraza and the Sangheili who still wanted humanity eradicated. Finally it got to be too much. I decided I'd get up and head to the mess for some coffee. If I couldn't use this time to rest, there was no reason I shouldn't get to work.

That's when my datapad buzzed underneath my cot. I quickly turned over to grab it before it woke up Mark.

ONE NEW MESSAGE, it flashed brightly in the dark. The sender was MAJ HAWK.

Curious, I opened it.

 _Are you awake?_

I raised an eyebrow in the dark, but answered, _Yeah._

A few seconds later, I received a reply.

 _Come see me._

I realized then that I couldn't do anything about most of the things I'd stressed over tonight, but I could at least try to clear this up. So I stood. I pulled on a UNSC-MC sweatshirt against the chill of the night, then my running shoes, grabbed my sidearm for protection, and walked out.

The courtyard was quiet in the middle of the night, a sharp contrast to the flurry of activity during the day. I walked past the large ring where the younglings learned and played, the center fire pit we'd clustered around upon arrival, and finally some of the makeshift buildings the 8th Engineers had put up for us. That included a modest mess, where Cal and I had gotten lunch the day he'd found out the sex of his baby, the small medtent Reynolds managed, and our regimental CP, where I'd spent most of my time the last couple weeks. Beyond that were my Marines' quarters, which included the building my husband was in.

I wondered if he couldn't sleep over this, like me.

"Willis? It's me," I said as I approached his door and knocked. I turned behind me while I waited, noticing that the Sangheili guards who'd watched me cross the courtyard were still staring in my direction. They hadn't stopped or confronted me along the way, just remained vigilant. I turned back around before I got too hung up on the surveillance - and utter lack of privacy here.

I heard footsteps coming towards the door in no time. Willis opened it, standing by the threshold in a white T-shirt and dark shorts. His hair was a little mussed, and a five o'clock shadow had set in on his face. I had to admit, he looked good.

"Natalie."

"Hey." I pulled out my datapad from my pocket and held up his text. "You weren't hacked, were you?"

He chuckled and stepped aside. "Nope. That's from me. Come on in."

I almost let out a sigh of relief when he shut the door behind us. Finally, I was free from those inquisitive eyes on my back. But there was still more apprehension and uncertainty to come.

"I'm guessing this is about this afternoon?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it is."

"Okay, let me just - " I held a hand up as I pulled my sidearm from my waistband with the other. I set it down on the desk, making sure the barrel pointed away from us. "Don't worry. Safety's on. It's just, you know, Sangheili territory and - "

"I get it. Want to sit?"

I nodded and did so at the desk, turning to face him while he sat on his bunk. My bunk. What should have been _our_ bunk.

Willis glanced down at his feet before looking up at me. "I've been thinking, Coop. About this. About us, and I just - " He shook his head. "I couldn't sleep. Couldn't find a way to turn off my brain. I hoped you might be in the same boat, so I called you over to talk instead of waiting for morning."

"It's fine," I said with a small, half-hearted grin. "Rest wasn't coming easy for me, either."

His expression matched mine. "I noticed. Anyway, I wanted you to know that I really took my time with this. I took in everything you said to me outside the mess that day, and I thought long and hard about this. To make sure I wasn't just reacting in the moment, or trying to please you or the kids or anyone else. To ensure that I was doing what I wanted for _me_ , after all this. And that I could live with, and stand by, and truly be okay with the decision I made."

He held up a hand then and got up, going into the makeshift closet to rummage in his sea bag. I wondered for what. I sat waiting, curious, until he returned with something behind his back, and sat down again.

"I bought these for us just before we left Mars. We had those few months where we were back together, with the kids, and even though we were living apart, it just...it was an amazing time. I was happy to have that back. I was happy to have _you_ back. So I thought, maybe, if we still felt the same while we were here...I'd give you this."

Willis finally showed me what he'd been holding, and my heart caught in my throat. It was an open ring box, with two rings inside. They were made of shining white gold, different than the yellow gold bands we'd worn for over a decade before our split. The band on top was larger, thicker, clearly meant for his hand. The bottom one was smaller and thinner - meant for mine. "I got us new wedding rings. To celebrate our new beginning. To..." He took in a deep breath. "To leave the past behind us, and start fresh."

I felt the sting of tears welling up in my eyes, but held them back.

"You asked me to give you a definitive answer two weeks ago." He took my hand then and looked me in the eyes. "Well, here it is. I want you to be my wife again, Natalie. And I want to be your husband. With everything that means. Stay with me here, now, and come home when we get back. We'll get our paperwork sorted out, and we can keep working on things. Together."

The shock was overwhelming. A couple tears spilled down my cheeks. He quickly wiped them away.

"I love you, Cooper. Now and always. We still have some work to do, but I believe we can get past this."

It took me a while to respond. Maybe longer than it should have. I just couldn't imagine that what I'd dreamed of all these months was actually happening. "Willis." I wiped at my eyes before more tears could fall. "I...I don't know what to say."

He pulled my ring out of the box and held it up between his forefinger and thumb. Then he gave me a small grin. "Say yes?"

I shoved his arm playfully and smirked. "Of course, you big goof. Come here."

Before he could slide the ring on my finger, I pulled him close and kissed him - softly, on the lips. This time, he kissed me back. We kissed a few more times before pulling back again. Willis finally brought up my left hand and placed the new, gleaming band on my ring finger. I did the same with his.

"Don't suppose I could convince you to become Mrs. Hawk this time?" he asked me in jest, lifting an eyebrow.

I chuckled and said, "Not a chance. I think the whole 'Cooper' thing has stuck by now." I kissed him again, deeper this time. "But I'll always be yours. I promise you that."

That seemed to invigorate him, since he put his hand on my cheek and kissed me back harder than before. After almost a month apart, my body responded instantly. I suddenly craved that contact with him, the kind we'd had a lot of before landing that had abruptly stopped once "Ethan's" message had appeared.

"So," I said as I kissed him in return, then moved my way down to his chin, then jaw, then throat. My voice dipped lower. "Why don't we celebrate by getting you undressed and on that bed?"

Willis smirked as I crouched down in front of him, slipping my hands underneath his shirt to help him push it up over his head. "That's a great idea, Coop," he said, his breath coming in a little faster now as I got to work on his boxers and shorts. "Actually, I wouldn't mind just...staying here, too."

"Tell you what," I said, tugging off my sweater. "We'll start here, and move later."

"That sounds...oh, God."

* * *

Afterward we lay naked together on the bunk. I sighed in contentment as I snuggled against him, head resting on his chest. He squeezed his arm around me a little tighter in response, drawing light circles on my elbow with his fingers. When I glanced up at him, his eyes were closed but he had a small smile on his face.

"I love you, Will," I mumbled against his skin as sleep finally threatened to overtake me.

"Love you, too," Willis said softly.

And then we were both fast asleep.

* * *

In the morning we woke in a rush. Mostly because I needed to hightail it out of here before the rest of the regiment awoke, and I also had to march my ass back to the quarters I shared with my brother to get in uniform. I wish I'd thought to bring it with me last night, but I hadn't really thought of a positive outcome to this. Hadn't allowed myself to hope too much.

Willis watched me from the bed, grinning. "You know, if anyone sees you out there, you can just say you were out for a morning run."

At that I snorted. "Yeah. I've got a great excuse if I'm caught wandering around in PT gear. Not so great if they see me actually _leave_ here."

Willis held up his left hand and wiggled his fingers. It was good to see a ring there again. "Married, remember?"

"You've got an answer for everything, don't you?" I paused in getting dressed to lean down and kiss him. "I know that, honey, and so does everyone else. Doesn't mean I don't still need to be professional about it."

My husband kissed me in return, then calmly leaned back against his pillow and folded his arms behind his head. "Well, just let me know when you need the squadrons up. I'll be here."

"Ass."

I said that last with a smirk as I picked up the rest of my stuff. I pulled my sweatshirt back on, grabbed my datapad and shoved it in my pocket, then picked up my gun. I checked that the safety was still on out of habit, and pushed the barrel into my waistband. "I'm going to try to get my clothes from Mark's without too much fuss. I'll meet you at the showers."

Willis waggled his eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Not like that."


	41. Chapter 40: When You're Busy 3

Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! I'm overwhelmed by the reviews. And here, after a very, very long wait, is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter** **Forty: When You're Busy Making Other Plans, Part Three**

When I got back to my brother's room, thankfully unnoticed, I wasn't too surprised to see he was already awake and waiting at the door when I arrived.

"Good morning, Nat," he said. He leaned curiously against the door jam, dressed in his ONI fatigues.

"Morning, big bro," I returned, cheerier than usual as I stepped past him to get inside. I felt his gaze follow me as I bent to grab a fresh uniform, underclothes, boots, and a towel from my sea bag.

"Imagine my surprise this morning when I woke up before 0500 to see you gone." He folded his arms across his chest. "Where've you been?"

I could tell by his tone that he wasn't upset with me, just genuinely intrigued. So I answered, "You know, everyone seems to have forgotten that I have a regiment to run. Who says I wasn't working?"

My brother pointed to the rather large pile of clothing I'd collected, sitting on my cot. "Well, maybe _that_."

"Could've been out for a run, too."

"Yeah, but given that I normally find you sound asleep when I get up, somehow that doesn't seem like the most likely explanation."

I finally pushed my bag back under my cot, huffed a mock sigh, and stood. Then I flashed my new ring at him, unable to keep the grin off my face. "Well...I got married last night."

A corner of his lips turned upward. "Oh, yeah? To who?"

"My husband."

Mark's face went from mild amusement to a genuine grin. "Hey. You two actually worked it out. That's great news, Nat. Congrats." He reached over to give me a quick hug, which I returned. "I'm happy for you guys. Really."

"Thanks, big bro." I turned to grab my pile once he released me. "I'm going to take a quick shower right now, but I'll be bringing my stuff over to Will's after, so we can put this cot away. Bet you're glad to get me out of your hair, huh?"

My brother chuckled. "It's been real, sis. But yeah, I'll be glad to have my space back. And you two yours."

My expression suddenly fell then as I walked past him again and out the door. I stopped. "What about Cal and his team? Any word yet?"

"Nothing to report, Nat. As always, you'll be the first to know."

"Well, if you haven't heard anything by noon, ping him. It's time."

Mark nodded. "Will do."

* * *

Murphy and the 8th had put up makeshift showers for us on the UNSC side of the courtyard, out by my regiment's quarters. The building meant for me and Willis had its own bathroom, but, not surprisingly, it wasn't at all measured right for humans - or practical, either. So, one of the first things I'd had my former battalion help with was setting up a new one. It meant I had to use the same facilities as the rest of my Marines, but I was good with that.

The showers were open to all, regardless of gender, with two partitioned stalls sharing one large showerhead above. They were tall enough that privacy was maintained, but they were still able to share water. A row with the same layout extended for a total of fifteen two-person cubes. Enough for a platoon to shower at once, if needed, though that was rarely essential. But with over fifteen hundred Marines in the keep, some amount of redundancy was necessary. I couldn't have everyone trying to jam into a small handful of stalls.

There were a few benches lined up outside where I laid out my change of clothes, and it was also there that I was supposed to meet Willis. It was still quiet this early in the morning, but I knew a few dozen Marines would be heading in soon to get clean. The next group of Marines on perimeter watch would be moving out at 0600, while others would be rotating back in. I checked my watch. It was 0535 now.

I spent a few minutes waiting for Willis, but when he hadn't shown up yet, I figured I'd better hop in before my regiment arrived. I'd just turned on the water to its hottest setting - barely lukewarm - and soaped up when I heard someone else enter the stall.

Not the one across from me that I shared water with. _My_ stall.

"Surprise." Willis scooted in beside me to get under the stream as I rinsed. The water dripped down his short hair and face until he ran a hand over it, getting the water out of his eyes. Then he grinned.

"Uh-uh. Will, you need to get out, now," I said to him. "I told you, I can't...we can't..." Seeing him start to lather up his body with the soap, standing so close to me, was doing a number on my faculties right now. I swallowed. "We won't be alone in here, you know. Marines are coming in from shift in twenty minutes. _My_ Marines. That I'm in charge of."

"I know. But it's empty now."

Willis raised an eyebrow at me as he rinsed. It felt a little like a dare.

I was still feeling torn when he reached out and put a hand behind my head, pulling me in for a kiss underneath the stream. It ignited everything inside me that I'd felt the night before, in bed with him, and I couldn't help but kiss him back. Harder. More fiercely. I wrapped my arms around his slick neck and pressed into him, until he groaned against my lips.

"The things you do to me, Cooper," he said, smirking at me as the water flowed around us. I'd pulled my hair down earlier to wash it, and he gently pushed the wet, shoulder-length strands out of my face. After that he leaned in to kiss my collarbone and my neck, and I all but melted in his arms.

"We'll have to be fast," I breathed.

Willis made a grunt of acknowledgment, but I don't remember a single thought going through my head after that.

* * *

It was difficult keeping a straight face later, as Willis and I toweled off and dressed in our uniforms mere seconds before the first group of Marines arrived. We rushed out before a line formed inside.

I barely suppressed a giggle once we'd finally emerged. "We are _not_ doing that again," I said, shaking my head but still smirking. "My heart is beating _so_ fast."

Willis just grinned behind his sunglasses. "It was fun, though."

I glanced over with my own and felt the urge to kiss him again, but since we were out in the courtyard now - and decidedly not alone - I refrained. "Are we going to be like newlyweds now? Christening places as we go?"

My husband let out a guffaw as he put his arm around my shoulders. "I sure hope so, Coop." Then he sobered. "But for now, I propose a pause in the...festivities. I'm starving."

"Same."

He pulled back and we settled for walking side-by-side as we approached a larger group of Marines clustered beyond. The morning was livening up as the watch rotated in, and personnel inside the keep were waking up for the day. I figured we'd have to get our food in now, before the mess got too crowded.

To that end, I decided that first, it was time to check in with my XO.

"Delaney? Anything new from F Company's commander?" He'd been the OIC of the overnight patrol.

"No, ma'am," Delaney replied. "Perimeter's been quiet all night, and all morning so far. Nothing to report."

"Good. Let me know if anything changes. I'm about to grab a bite and then I'll gear up and come take over for you."

"Understood. I'll be here."

I hesitated, then said, "Be sure to - "

 _Schwoop!_

It'd been so long since I'd heard the sound that it took me an extra second to identify it. Once I did, I immediately pushed Willis and I to the dirt and yelled, "Incoming!"

We barely got down in time. As I covered my head with my hands, without helmet or armor or gloves - or even a damn weapon, for that matter - I cursed the fact that I'd left my sidearm back at Mark's. I'd just been going for a shower. No need to carry it in there, I'd thought.

Apparently that wasn't the brightest idea I'd ever had, because now we were about to engage the enemy - whoever it was - without so much as a rock to throw at them.

The first hot, glowing blue round crashed into the center of the courtyard, vaporizing the fire pit and benches away, but miraculously hitting no one. The next one wasn't as lucky.

I heard piercing screams as I shut my eyes tight against the blast, then the smell of burnt flesh and metal wafted into my nostrils, along with the dirt. When I opened my eyes again against the dusty ground, the scene that greeted me was pure chaos. A smoldering crater in the center, where the pit had been…and another just a few dozen feet from my husband and I, with what looked like charred meat inside it. My stomach roiled against the sight and smell.

"Natalie! _Natalie!_ Are you okay?"

Willis was screaming at me, even though we were right next to each other. I gathered he'd asked me the question a few times already and I still hadn't answered him.

I shook it off. All of it. Had to. "Yeah. Yeah," I said louder as I coughed to clear my lungs. "I'm fine. I'm…not hit."

We rose cautiously, just as another round came hurtling in overhead. This time we didn't dive for the ground, but instead just turned and shielded our faces from the massive orb of plasma heading in.

Willis and I both lost our balance when it hit, nearly tumbling into the dirt together. Instead, we caught ourselves on each other. When our eyes met, I could see my husband's face was already streaked with dust, his hazel eyes wide. I figured I looked pretty similar as I stared back.

No one had expected this. Human rebels, maybe, but not the Sangheili civil war coming right up to our front door.

I gripped his forearm, suddenly seeing that the sleeve of my battledress jacket was just as dirty as his face. "Get to the birds, Will. Now. Go get your pilots and send 'em up. Go!"

Willis hesitated for the briefest of seconds, probably worried for my safety, but quickly nodded and took off in the direction of the keep's barracks.

Glancing down at myself, weaponless, I realized I needed to do the same.

"Marines, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper!" I said into my earbud as I sprinted through open ground, trying to get back to my brother's room on the Elite side for my armor and rifle. "If you haven't heard _all that_ yet, we've got incoming. I repeat, we are under attack! Everyone up and out, now!"

I ducked as I heard another round swoop through the air. I didn't stop running, though. I had to make it to my gear so I could fight.

But apparently, the enemy had other plans.

The mortar round hit jarringly close by and I was knocked right off my feet. I fell hard into the dirt with a groan, only then realizing just how much punishment my helmet and armor plates had taken for me over the years. My head was swimming when I opened my eyes. I could taste blood in my mouth.

I was looking up at the sun until I wasn't. A fourth round momentarily blotted out the light.

That's all I needed to scramble back to my feet. Another Marine rushed to stand beside me and, without thinking, I grabbed hold of his collar to pull him up with me. Together we ran the length of the open yard until we got to an awning by the officers' barracks.

I heard a thud when the Marine's back hit the wall beside me. He took several long, deep breaths before turning to face me.

"Colonel Cooper? What - Who's fighting us?"

Pressing my own back against the wall as I took in air fast, I responded, "A very old friend of ours, Sergeant. The other Elites."

* * *

I had to run from where I'd ended up after the blast to where I really needed to be to reach my stuff – the Sangheili side of the keep. When I got there, I could see that part of the field where the younglings played was destroyed – thankfully, none had been outside this time. In the moment I couldn't even try to figure what the odds of that were. I just knew I had to get into Mark's room.

I reached the spot and saw that the door had been broken by the small quakes; the top part was off the hinge. That meant I'd have to muscle my way in.

Though I was already pretty battered and tired from the run, I squared up my shoulders and rushed the door. Grunting at the impact, I felt the door creak, but nothing else happened.

"All right," I growled to myself. "Let's try again."

I ran into it the second time, and now pain shot through my arm like a bolt. This wasn't going to work, I realized. This wasn't –

"Let me, human."

I looked up from holding onto my hurt shoulder with my other arm to see Torran. I'd never been so happy to see a damn Elite in my life. I turned my head to the side and spat blood on the ground, then said, "Have at it."

Torran snarled - but at the door, not me. He went crashing through the thick wood, destroying it as if it were no more inconvenient than a piece of tissue paper. If the circumstances were different, I would have laughed at how absurdly easy it'd been for him – something I would have struggled greatly to do myself.

"Thanks, Torran. Always good to have a Sangheili friend in a pinch."

When I ran inside, my primary concern was for my older brother. I didn't see him. I didn't even see traces of him – most of his stuff was gone. I wondered if he'd gone off on an ONI mission this morning. If he had, I wondered why he hadn't told me. In any case, he'd been lucky to miss this.

There. I spotted my things propped against the wall in the corner, by my cot. The cot I hadn't slept in the night before. I'd spent all of last night in Willis's arms. And now, my good fortune had run out.

I gathered up my gear as fast as I could, strapping on armor, gloves, and my helmet before picking up my rifle. I paused just long enough to check its load. It was ready. So was I.

By the time I ran out, Torran was gone. I bet he'd gone in the direction of the outer keep, to go help his brothers. Or maybe to go get Sennu. In the meantime, I had my own troops to direct.

"Delaney, this is Cooper. Status," I said into the command channel, now that I had access to it again.

No answer. I wondered if his helmet or comm bud had been damaged in the attack. Likely. I hailed my other battalion commanders instead."Mullen? Murphy? Please respond."

The former Helljumper's gruff voice came over the channel first. "Murphy here with the 213th, ma'am. On your left."

"Major Mullen here, Colonel! On your six!"

I nodded inside my helmet. "All right, good. Anyone know the status of - "

Another explosion rocked the courtyard. But this time, for once, it didn't hit inside. It landed _outside_ the keep. And judging by the _whoops_ coming over the general channel, it wasn't us on the receiving end.

"Colonel, this is Talon with the 87th Air Wing in the skies," Willis said. "We're here to save your ass, ma'am. Again."

"Or, at least to help." I smirked briefly, then sobered just as fast. There wasn't time for this right now. "You and your flyboys do what you can to keep the tanks down, Flight Leader. We'll handle the rest."

"Yes, ma'am. Just know you've got infantry headed your way as well."

 _Of_ course _we do,_ I thought. To Willis, I grit my teeth and said, "Bring 'em on."

While I waited for the pilots' overhead view to hit my HUD - and show us just how many enemy Elites we were up against - I focused my attention on what lay before us. Marines were hit and injured from the blasts, as were a number of civilian Sangheili. That was something I trusted our medics - and theirs - were taking care of. What I needed to help ensure now was that no more rounds made it through our defenses. That we pushed the enemy back.

"Torran? Murphy? Mullen?" I said into the command channel as I brought my rifle up to fire a long-distance burst at the incoming fighters. "Everyone still good?"

"Ready, Colonel."

"By your command, ma'am."

"Yes, human. Though you must make it quick; I will not stand idle while my home burns."

"We'll get it under control, Torran," I answered, quickly ducking by the side of a building to avoid a plasma shot from afar. The Elites' accuracy was, as always, too close for comfort. As soon as the round hit, I emerged again, rifle aimed and pulled tight against my shoulder as I fired off several more bursts. In the distance, I saw two towering but otherwise indistinct forms drop into the grass. "Is Sennu safe?"

"Yes, but I do not know for how much longer, should this bombardment continue."

"It won't. My air commander and his ships are upstairs now to provide coverage." I paused behind the wall again, reloading. "Just tell your troops to hang tight, T. I've got a plan."


End file.
